


In Full Bloom

by muse_of_mbaku



Series: In Full Bloom [1]
Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Angst, Black OC, F/M, Fluff, Original Character of Color, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2019-06-25 17:22:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 27,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15645417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muse_of_mbaku/pseuds/muse_of_mbaku
Summary: Despite the bustling energy of the Jabari tribe around her, Amira feels loneliness down to her bones. That is until she runs into a mountain of a man willing to change her life completely.





	1. Chapter 1

Over the years, Amira had developed a way to cry while making as little sound as possible. Sometimes this involved burying her face into the stack of pillows on her bed or pushing her sobs into the palms of her hands. Other times it was because she’d learned to cry internally. People seemed to think she was weak, that she’d crumble at the slightest wind. They didn’t know just how many times she’d steeled herself and placed her burdens on her back. Right now, she was feeling every ounce of those burdens. Her heart was hurting and it was taking all Amira had to make it through the day.

That morning, she’d stuffed her unraveling threads back into her chest and took her usual perch in the far corner of the massive greenhouse in the center of the Jabari capital city. Her spot, tucked into a sharp corner, was surrounded on two sides by glass. Outside, the wind whipped snow like tornados and she was glad for the reprieve from the chill. Buried snugly in her ears, her headphones sent her favorite playlist into her mind. She was trying her best to outsmart her sadness. Or rather the loneliness that seemed to grow by the day. Amira likened it to swimming through oil. It was thick, viscous, and it was suffocating her. Here she was, not young and not old, and very much alone. But alone was relative.

Sure, she had friends and family, but she longed for love. Well, real love that actually lasted. Not some passionate spark that stood no real chance of surviving once the high of new sex and infatuation had worn off. Try being a hopeless romantic and invisible at the same time. Amira chuckled to herself. It was a wry laugh, one that fully held the sarcasm and irritation at her present predicament. Just as the thickness of her loneliness was choking her, she was near bursting with love to give.

At the first strains of a particularly sad song, Amira put it on repeat. Sometimes her strategy of beating her funks was to get as low as possible and then build herself back up. She’d let it all out and start fresh. It wasn’t necessarily healthy, but it worked for her. Locking her eyes at the swirling flakes outside the greenhouse walls, Amira tucked her legs beneath her and let out a heavy sigh. She’d been there for hours and still felt as tightly coiled with tension as she had when she’d arrived. But where else would she be? It wasn’t as if there was someone waiting for her at home. Her time was her own. Eventually she’d have to leave, but for now she wasn’t willing to exit the only place she felt warm both inside and out.

The last bit of the sun was leaving the sky when Amira finally made her decision to trek back to the quietness of her home. Tomorrow was another day and she was quite sure it would be more of the same. A quiet home. A quiet life. A heart screaming. She returned her belongings to the burnished messenger bag at her side and pulled her hood about her head. Pausing at a cork board of flyers and announcements near the exit, she plucked a few that seemed of interest. If she was going to be lonely, she could at least have a bit of fun. Steeling herself against the gust of arctic wind enveloping her body as soon as the door opened, Amira tightened her furs around her shoulders and headed out into the tail end of dusk.   
~~~  
Amira wiped her forehead with her sleeve, careful not to smear any of the rich, black dirt that coated her hands onto her face. The greenhouse seemed warmer on this particular Saturday morning, but she was willing to bear it. In front of her was a delicate stem of orchid. Of course, she would have picked the most difficult plant to cultivate in the snowy landscape of the Jabari kingdom. But she had been drawn to the singular flower blooming on its own. It was her in botanical form. She smiled at bit at the thought. Orchids were delicate, requiring consistent care. They needed warmth and moisture and the pruning away of the dead leaves and stems in order to thrive. They needed time and attention.   
Satisfied with her first attempt at potting a plant, Amira moistened the soil just enough and moved to situate it in a sunny spot she’d spied when the horticultural class began. Careful not to jostle too much, she’d just made it to the intended perch when a heavy pot plopped down in that exact spot. The bright burst of a peony bush was beautiful, but its bulk was taking up every inch of space her orchid needed. Amira took a moment to place her pot on shadier ledge before turning her annoyance at the owner of that sun stealer.

“You took my spot! I…”

When she’d finally fully turned, her gaze landed squarely in the chest of a massive man before her head lifted to find his face. Her cheeks started to burn. He was beautiful. Massively tall and broad, he towered over her. There was a hint of mischief in his eyes that only increased when he smiled. That smile was so inviting that Amira found herself returning it without hesitation. And then it dawned on her who he was.

“Your highness! I apologize for my outburst. Had I known it was you…”

His laughter boomed as he raised a hand. “It’s quite alright. I’d decided on this spot shortly after arriving.”

“As did I. And with all due respect, I was here first.”

He made no movements towards relinquishing the sunny piece of ledge. “Perhaps, but my plant actually took the spot.”

What an ass! Amira pursed her lips to keep her anger in check. “Duly noted, your highness.” It was nearly impossible to keep the sarcasm from her voice.

He smiled again and retreated back towards the tables full of soil and gardening tools. Amira waited until his back was turned and slid the heavy pot further down the ledge. Placing her orchid in the exact spot she wanted, she smirked and went to wash her hands. When she returned the peony bush was back and she shot daggers across the room at the ruler of her tribe barely holding in his laughter. She raised an eyebrow at him and started towards him.

“If my orchid dies, your highness, I am holding you personally responsible.”

“M’Baku. It won’t die.”

“It will with your hog of a bush taking up all the light. That was the perfect spot.”

It was his turn to eye her curiously. “Perhaps, but sometimes perfect isn’t the best. Sometimes it’s better to step back and see the bigger picture.”

“Which is?” Her annoyance was growing.

“That the world isn’t as small as you’ve made it.”


	2. Chapter 2

Amira was embarrassed. Although it seemed no one in the restaurant noticed, she was certain they were just really good at hiding it. They all knew she’d been stood up. There she was, full lips a vibrant red, hair twisted just so, a black dress clinging to the places she actually wanted it to and she was alone. The waiter placed a second tumbler of vodka and cranberry in front of her. She gave him a weak smile.

“Shall we wait a bit longer, madam?” 

Amira applauded him for his patience. She was taking up table space on a Friday night when he could have been making a bounty of tips.

“Just a few minutes more. Thank you.” She palmed the glass and let the coolness sink into her hand before taking a sip. The burn was good. He’d made this one stronger.

Her date, one of the only men who’d approached her over the last year, was over an hour late. Most women would have squared their shoulders and left by now. But Amira was patient to a fault and way too forgiving of others’ behavior. So, she’d sat there nervously flicking her eyes around the room while pretending to be enjoying a solo evening. She’d certainly cry later, but she’d mastered not letting tears fall in public once she was out of high school. It served her well because she was way too sensitive for her own good.

Amira’s finger was making a circle around the rim of the glass when the lights of the restaurant dimmed and the wait staff came by to light clusters of tealights on each table. Then the light dinner music turned sultry and couples made their way to the dancefloor. Apparently, date night had just kicked into high gear. Despite her disappointment in how her evening was progressing, she couldn’t help but to sway softly in her seat to the music. She shuffled her eyes between her emptying glass and the couples clinging to each other under the muted lights. She didn’t want to stare, but she wanted to savor a bit of someone else’s slow burn, living vicariously through strangers.

She motioned to the waiter to bring her one last cocktail to steel her before she made her way home to the ever-growing shroud of loneliness she was feeling. Amira gladly exchanged one glass for another and let the familiar warmth slide down her throat. She closed her eyes in appreciation. When she opened them, the chair across from her was filled by the last person she expected to see. M’Baku.

“Hello, Orchid.”

Amira was flustered, setting the glass down nervously on the table. “Your highness.”

He chuckled. “M’Baku, remember? No need to be formal. I’m not in someone’s seat, right?”

He glanced over both shoulders and craned his neck to look around her. Amira felt heat rise in her cheeks. Before she was hiding her embarrassment from strangers at distant tables. Now she was faced with having to do the same with a man who made her a little weak. She directed her eyes into the crimson liquid before her and stirred the swizzle stick absently.

“No.”

M’Baku pulled one full lip between his teeth and tapped the table. “That’s a shame. You’re gorgeous tonight.”

“Yea. Well, it was a waste of time.” Her eyes were still trained on the glass in front of her. She raised it and took a sip. “I should probably get going.”

“You had a date?” He didn’t sound pleased or it could have been the three drinks settling in her body.

“Yep. Except he’s now very late and I’m sure not coming.”

“His loss. Have you eaten?” He gestured for the waiter.

“No, but I really need to get home. Enjoy dinner, M’Baku.”

Amira gathered her clutch into her hand and withdrew a few bills to pay for her drinks. M’Baku reached across the table to grasp her wrist. She felt something slink through her body. His fingers were rough, but they felt good against her skin. And he was warm. Warm and strong. Amira could feel the power he was tethering when he squeezed gently.

“Please join me for dinner. I don’t have a date either.” He shrugged his shoulders.

Amira placed her clutch back atop the table and studied him. “I’m sure that’s by choice and not circumstance. “

“And you assume that why? Because I’m king? That doesn’t necessarily mean the dates offered are of quality or sincerity.”

Amira hummed at his point and sipped her drink again. “Fine. I’ll stay just for a little while.”

A little while turned into several hours. She’d watched M’Baku devour his dinner like a man starving while engaging her between bites. He was funny. Charming, too. He’d relaxed her so thoroughly that she’d nearly forgotten the reason she’d originally come out. She was thankful for that.

“Thank you, M’Baku. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your night to humor me.”

The forkful of chocolate cake stopped halfway to his mouth. He placed the utensil carefully on the side of the plate.

“Humor you? Perhaps, I came here and found exactly what I was meant to tonight. You sell yourself way too short, Amira.”

She ducked her head.

“And you do that way too often as well. Don’t shrink for anyone, sweetheart.”

Amira sensed the challenge in his words and locked her eyes to his. He didn’t look away and she had a clear view of the attraction and amusement within them. If she were more confident, she’d assume the ruler of the Jabari may actually like her. That was impossible. Women like her were invisible, the background music of the world. Men like M’Baku commanded rooms and took the world by storm. She couldn’t even get a man to show up for a date. She sighed and toyed with her glass again.

“I’ll help break you out of that.”

He was matter of fact. So much so that Amira was still puzzled when she looked up to find him standing next to her chair, his hand extended. Her heart quickened, but she placed her hand into his and he guided her to the dancefloor. 

M’Baku moved Amira slowly around the nearly empty space. It took a moment, but she eventually relaxed into his arms. The wide expanse of his hands splayed across her waist, each of his thumbs sweeping the small of her back. If she concentrated, those touches were the epicenter of a crest of waves crashing over her. She wanted to lay her head against his chest, but she thought it too forward. Instead she cast her glance up towards his face. Amira’s breath caught when she was met with the unmasked adoration he radiated. Her mind raced to rationalize what she was seeing.

It was the drinks. It was the atmosphere. It was the music. It was the lateness of the evening. It was anything except the fact he may actually really like her. She’d set herself up before, thinking she had the ability to attract a man of substance such as M’Baku. All she’d gotten from that was a handful of heartache and another load of bricks to build the wall around that very heart. She’d allow herself to gather the memories of how it felt to be in his arms, how he smelled, how the heaviness of his arms was delicious and very much needed. She wouldn’t allow herself to feel anything else.

The soft flicker of the lights was meant to alert them the restaurant was closing. Amira was certain they’d make an exception for their ruler, but she was grateful for the excuse to begin to close herself off again. She made a move to break the connection between their bodies, but M’Baku held her fast. His arms tightened and that look of adoration was still there. Then one of his massive hands was cradling her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. He made a small grunt of appreciation and bent his head towards hers. Amira opened her mouth to protest, but the movement was too little too late and the parting of her lips gave him entry. She hesitated briefly then pressed a hand to his chest. When he deepened the kiss, her hand contracted and she gripped a palm-full of his shirt. His free hand slid from her waist and settled on the curve of her ass.

M’Baku held her mouth as his for a moment longer before lifting his head. Amira could feel the shuddering of both of their breathing.

“Makhe ndikuyise ekhaya. (Let me take you home).”

“Andinako (I can’t).”

“Ngoba? Ndifuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba uye ekhaya ngokukhuselekileyo. (Why? I want to make sure you get home safely).”

Amira sighed. “Hayi. Ndiya kuhamba kakuhle. (No. I’ll be fine).”

M’Baku released a sigh of his own and within a few moments, a car was pulling to the curb where they waited. Amira gave him a brief hug and slipped into the backseat. As the door was closing she heard the rumble of his voice.

“Yeka ukufihla, Orchid.(stop hiding)”


	3. Chapter 3

Amira cursed the sun when she opened her eyes. Last night she’d welcomed the stiff drinks placed in front of her. But this morning, her mouth felt thick and her head fuzzy. She wasn’t quite hungover, just a bit slowed. Thank Hanuman it was Saturday and the day was hers.

Pushing back the heavy quilted blankets, she stretched until she felt the beginnings of cramps in her calves. Then she let her body starfish across the still warm mattress. Amira let out a squeal into the cottony sheets. M’Baku had kissed her last night. She knew for certain that hadn’t been a side effect of the vodka. The feel of his lips on hers was still ghosting through her memories. Quintessential Amira made her want to believe it was nothing other than a conquest on his part and part of a semi-drunken night on hers. But he’d wanted more. She had to at least be honest with herself about that. What if she’d let him bring her home last night? Would she had invited him in?

Amira flipped herself onto her back. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth while she mused. If she were bolder, more confident, she would have gladly invited him in. But she was exactly who she was. Skittish and always waiting for people to fall short of what they promised. She was the type to listen to the saddest music hoping that one day someone would choose her and love would abound. Who was she kidding? If a man even looked in her direction, she was terrified. Her real fear, however, was being so lonely she’d be willing to accept scraps of affection and time. That was worse than being alone.

Still, the memory of how solid he felt pressed against her and the languid sweep of his hands across the small of her back sent shivers through her. That memory made her forget that her actual date had never even bothered to call to explain his absence. Amira wasn’t overly concerned. At least his true colors had shone early and there was very little investment on her part. Sliding off the edge of the bed, Amira sank into the soft fur covering the wood floors and kicked her legs in excitement. That burst of energy expended, she pulled on a pair of yoga pants and a hoodie before encasing her feet in a thick pair of socks. She chuckled to think of the people who thought the Jabari wore nothing except furs and leather. Of course, tradition was a keystone of their world, but even kings and warriors dressed down.

Picking the perfect playlist, Amira swayed to the music with a mouthful of toothpaste. She’d perfected her shimmy each morning even if it would never see the light of day. Within the confines of the mirror she was sultry. Outside of it she was bashful. Last night, under the dimmed lights of the restaurant she’d felt sexy and wonton. Twisting a quick headwrap around her curls, Amira slathered a thick charcoal mask on her skin. She’d let it set while she made breakfast and her morning tea.

Not too long after, Amira was curled in her breakfast nook, a steaming mug of red bush tea and an obscenely cheesy omelet in front of her. She ate slowly, occasionally pausing to do her food dance. It was a habit she’d never outgrown. Amira imagined most people viewing her from the outside would think she was so straight-laced she didn’t even smile. That was far from the truth. She was sarcastic and witty and funny. People just had to get past her walls. She’d described herself on more than one occasion as nice, but not friendly. Amira would never approach you, but she was a sweetheart once you were in her world.

Setting the dishes into the sink for later, Amira bopped her way through her home, straightening and puttering until the playlist looped itself into Anderson.Paak’s Room in Here. She snapped and two stepped in the space in front of the coffee table. Before she knew it, her eyes were closed and she was having a hard time keeping M’Baku out of her mind. Why was a mystery to her. It wasn’t as if she was impressed by his title. And she’d certainly been annoyed at his space theft the first day they’d met. But there was something. Maybe it was the way she could see a little insecurity beneath the Great Gorilla persona. Or maybe because she’d felt softness in him. Or maybe because she’d felt privy to a playfulness not available to others. Or it could have been how down to earth he appeared to be. Whatever it was, he was crowding her thoughts in ways that had her in the midst of an invisible dance to Miguel’s Come Through and Chill.

Amira’s imagination was in overdrive. But she was alone and it was Saturday and sometimes it was okay to indulge in fantasies that would never come true. She queued the song to repeat and returned her eyes to their closed position. In her mind, M’Baku’s large hands were lightly draped on her hips. Their bodies weren’t pressed together. Instead, she was angling her head to look into his face and he was returning the gaze with an easy smile across his full lips. They matched the rhythm of the music, but their motions were hazy, like they were moving in quarter time. It was comfortable and unhurried. It felt like years had grown between them and they were stealing moments between life’s obligations. 

In all of Amira’s fantasies, the majority of them were rooted in the comforts of being loved. They were of someone holding her at night. Other times they consisted of mundane daily activities like washing the dishes which ended up with a pair of strong arms encircling her from behind. There were times she imagined what it would be like to come home to dinner or be cared for when she was sick or to have someone so proud of her that he could barely contain his excitement at her accomplishments. The was a small sliver of her that held out hope those wishes would come true.

A rap on the front door pulled her eyes open. Visitors were rare. Her parents had long since moved to the warmer climate of the city and their visits were usually announced weeks in advance. Amira shook herself out of her fantasy world to find out who was disturbing the only romance she’d had in a very long time. It was the man who’d up until a moment ago had been her very domesticated love interest.

“Hey, M’Baku.” She tried to be cool and propped her hip against the door frame. Her hand reached up to cradle her cheek and promptly stuck to the sticky black mask she’d forgotten about.

The door had slammed with a resounding crack before Amira realized what she’d done. The sight of M’Baku on her doorstep was unexpected. Especially since she was looking like the walking dead. She took off towards the bathroom, peeling the mask as she went. Large chunks of it shed into the sink basin. Craning her neck from side to side, Amira was satisfied she now looked presentable. Until she remembered she’d yet to shower. The man was going to think she was some sort of heathen. A quick pass of deodorant would have to do. Amira shoved the stick back into the medicine cabinet and rushed back to the door completely unsure if he’d still be on the other side.

He was. And he was very amused. And very cute. M’Baku was dressed down in a way she didn’t expect. His long limbs were covered in black denim on the bottom and a leather jacket across his impressive chest and shoulders up top. The baseball cap reversed made her smile. He looked devilishly handsome and adorable at the same time.

“I see I’ve caught you off guard.”

“Umm. Yea. I was just getting my day started.” Amira fiddled with the strings of her hoodie.

M’Baku’s long fingers reached out and drifted along her jawline. Amira felt herself melt into his touch and then there was sting of a lingering strip of mask being pulled from her skin. She let out a yelp and M’Baku dropped his hand. His eyes watched her rubbing the tender spot before he leaned down and pressed his lips to the small hurt.

“I’m sorry, usana.”

Amira nodded, unsure of how to react to his use of such a loaded term. They stood there for a beat before she had the good sense to invite him in.

“Give me a few minutes, okay?” She gestured towards the sofa for him to sit. He made no move to do so.

“If you’re going to run back there and primp for me, please don’t. You’re beautiful as you stand.”

Amira cursed internally. That was exactly what she’d planned to do. She wanted him to see her in the best light possible. She knew she wasn’t a siren. Hell, she was barely a whistle.

“Do you not believe me?” M’Baku moved towards her. “You’re fretting.”

She was chewing her bottom lip and still fiddling with the hoodie strings. He read her well. “Perhaps.”

He laughed. “If only you saw what I see, mnandi.”

“I see myself very well, M’Baku.”

Amira found herself a bit annoyed at his assessment, but something in her wanted to challenge him. Maybe it was the part of her that wanted to be free.

“What do you see?”

He closed the space between them. Just as in her imagined dance, his hands found their way to her hips. She was looking up at him and he was returning it with a smile curled on his mouth.

“I see a beautiful woman. One with kind eyes and dimples as deep as the hot springs. A woman who is soft and curved.”

“That’s all?” Amira was trying to control how her heart leapt at his words, but she wanted more. Sometimes selfish is good.He shifted her body closer to his softly, gripped her chin between his fingers.

“I see a woman yearning to be cherished. One who puts her heart behind a Jabari wood door because the world has let her down one too many times. I see a woman who needs a champion. Not because she is weak, but because she is so strong that she doesn’t know how to put down the world.”

Amira was floored.

“Now, Orchid. Will you stop running from me and let me see if I’m the man who can give you exactly what you need?”


	4. Chapter 4

“I don’t understand why.”

Amira’s eyes dropped from his. Her desire to challenge him was gone. Boldness was always fleeting for her. There were times when she wanted to live life loudly, but every time she got used to the sound of her own voice she shrank back into place.

“Why what? That I’m pursuing a woman I find to be undeniably attractive?

“You’ve seen me twice, M’Baku. And neither time was I was at my best. That’s hardly the basis for pursuit.” Amira was back to fiddling with the hoodie strings.

“There are your assumptions again, usana. What makes you think those were the only times I saw you? I’ve seen you plenty of times. Head always ducked, walking quickly to avoid making waves.”

M’Baku cast a curious glance at Amira, refusing to let her go when she attempted to move out of his arms.

“No. You are so used to running, Amira. Stand still for once. Can you at least try that for me?”

She was stunned. No one ever noticed her. She could be in the middle of a conversation with someone and another person would swoop as if she weren’t speaking. It took all she had some days to get the attention of clerks. People bumped into her without much concern and when she did stand her ground, she always felt guilty and rude afterwards. She knew he didn’t understand that. Maybe it was her shyness or maybe it was fear, but she’d felt that way her entire life. She felt forgettable.

Amira felt the world had been hands off with her since she was a child. Her parents never had to worry about her sneaking out or being disrespectful. So, she was left to her own devices, often losing herself in books, music, and people watching. When she was older, the same trend continued. She moved away from her parents’ home and the calls and visits became more infrequent. It wasn’t that she doubted they loved her. She was just low maintenance so that meant no maintenance at all. As a teenager, she’d wished that she was a troublemaker. At least someone would have placed a steady hand on her shoulder and been there. Nevertheless, she was still standing and she was happy with who she was, lonely as she may be.

M’Baku was as bright as she felt dulled. He was full color to her greyscale. There was no denying he was someone special. Amira knew it wasn’t simply because of the status he held, but because of the way he positioned his body and the way his voice boomed and the way he could steel his face to convey every emotion under the sun. She was meek and meek was something she knew M’Baku would tire of sooner than later.

“I’m too boring for you,” she joked while trying to gently wiggle herself away from the heat of his body. “You’ll get tired of me eventually.”

“Why are you so intent on telling what I feel and what I will do?” His annoyance was starting to peek through.

“Because I’ve lived in my body for a long time and I know how these things go.” She regretted the edge to her voice as soon as the words hit the air.

He grunted in anger and released her.

“Duly noted, Amira. I’ll let you get back to your day.”

The rasp of his jacket zipper seemed to echo through the room. He stared at her for a moment and shook his head. “I’ll see you around, Orchid.”

And like that he was gone, leaving the room colder and lonelier than it had been before. She wanted to cry out and fling herself after him, but it was stupid. There was nothing to be gained by allowing herself to think he would be the least bit interested in her in any real manner. M’Baku was a conqueror and she wasn’t the best prey.

***  
Amira was on her third orchid. Each one she’d tried to nurture had withered and died. The first due to lack of light and the second due to lack of moisture. She was frustrated as she threw the brown petals and stems into the trash. This one had been a brilliant purple, a bright spot among the snowy terrain.

Filling the now empty pot with fresh soil, she stood before a bevy of options. Perhaps the orchid wasn’t for her. She could try a succulent or maybe a mum. Something hard to kill no matter how much she neglected it. She was torn. And she was also sad. She’d come to class this morning hoping to see M’Baku across the table as she had before. The space he usually filled with his commanding presence was empty. It was to be expected she guessed. He wasn’t going to chase her forever. Still, his absence stung and it was her fault.

Amira spent the rest of the class casting glances at the door and potting a few stalks of dahlias. She was giving up on orchids. It was too much work to see only a little bit of beauty. By the end of class, he still hadn’t showed. She felt terribly, like she’d hurt him and there would be no chance to apologize. Maybe she should just make amends and then fade back into the world. The plan sounded solid but getting an audience with the king was not easy feat for dignitaries, let alone a simple woman who the world barely acknowledged. But she’d try.

That is how she found herself standing in one of the long corridors separating the public’s access to the inner sanctum reserved for M’Baku and his staff. Amira had been there at least an hour hoping to catch a glimpse of him and then his eye. She only needed a moment to say what she needed to before leaving him to his very full life.

Eventually he’d appeared, flanked by his guard and speaking quickly to another man carrying a sheath of paper. As he approached, she lifted her hand to wave at him. The wave, full of an odd mixture of enthusiasm and shyness, lasted only a few seconds before she realized it wasn’t being returned. Amira thought she saw M’Baku pause for the briefest of moments before he returned his attention to his conversation. She recoiled as she drew in a sharp breath. Duly noted, indeed. Despite her hurt, Amira was proud she felt no tears starting to form. She was used to this. She’d survived it before. She’d pick up her face, tuck her emotions back into her chest, and move forward as she always had.

***

“Fresh start?”

Amira was startled at the sound of M’Baku’s voice. He moved quietly so she’d had no idea he had been standing in front of her for quite some time.

“Excuse me?” She didn’t lift her eyes from the book in front of her.

“We need a fresh start. This is ridiculous, usana.” He sounded annoyed.

“I came to make amends with you and you looked right through me, M’Baku.”

Amira heard the quiet creak of the chair across from her accepting his weight. Then there was the warmth of his hand pulling hers across the slick tabletop.

“I’m a man with pride, sweetheart. How many times can I tell you I want you and you run? Everything about you was screaming you needed space so I gave it to you. Was I happy about it? No.”

It was then she lifted her eyes. Her breath caught. Amira didn’t think she’d ever get used to seeing him outside of his traditional clothing. The heavy hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans made him looking imposing, but she also wanted to bury her face into his chest and feel his arms come around her.

“Am I wrong? At class, at the restaurant, and in your living room, I’ve shown you that I’m interested and each time you’ve found an excuse to run. You don’t think that impacts me?”

His voice wasn’t angry and that soothed her. But it also made her ashamed. Here she was, so afraid of being hurt that she was hurting him in the process. As much as she complained about not being seen, he was looking directly at her and she was hiding in every way she could. And she was finally sick of it. She rubbed her thumb across the back of his hand, smiled when he glanced down at the contact in surprise.

“I’m sorry. I’m standing still now.”

He chuckled. “Good. Now I can take you on a proper date. If you’ll allow it, that is.”

Their gazes locked until slow smiles spread across their faces.

“I’ll allow it.”

M’Baku rounded the table, pulling Amira from her seat in one fluid motion. When he began to guide her to a side hallway of the bustling café, she hesitated.

“My stuff…”

“Will be just fine. There’s something I need to do,” he mumbled while moving them deeper into the narrow corridor and away from the din of patrons.

When the noise of the café seemed far away, M’Baku leaned Amira into the wall then braced both hands on either side of her head. He bent his towering height until their foreheads touched. She swallowed thickly. He smelled like leather and wood and something spicy that made her want to swoon. Suddenly, the air around her felt supercharged and hot.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you since that first day your stubborn self crossed my path. May I?”

Amira was humbled, and thankful, he’d asked permission. She nodded briefly before his lips descended. This melding was not hurried. It was patient as he’d been with her, softer than she expected and sweet in taste and intent. She heard the rasp of his palms sliding down the textured paint next to her ears, felt the weight of his hands on her shoulders pressing her towards his warmth. At the contact of her chest to his, Amira melted into him. She’d lost herself in the suckles and swipes of his mouth over hers. When M’Baku finally broke the contact, she drew in a shaky breath and pushed her eyes open.

“Now that I know just how sweet you taste Orchid, please don’t expect me to go without it for too long.”

Amira chewed her bottom lip, knowing that she’d only stumble over her words if she attempted a witty retort. M’Baku placed a kiss to each side of her neck and a final one to her forehead before taking her hand and leading her back to the table.

“Will you be ready for our date tomorrow morning? Ten?”

She found her voice. “Of course. I look forward to it.”

Amira knew whatever the next morning would hold, if it was anything like the brief caress of his mouth she was already in over her head.


	5. Chapter 5

By 9:30, Amira was a ball of nerves sitting in her breakfast nook. She ran sweaty hands down the thighs of her jeans and contemplated changing her shirt once again. Scattered across her bedroom was nearly half of her closet. She’d gone from crisp button-ups to hoodies to sweaters to camisoles layered under billowy cardigans. He’d told her to be casual and that they wouldn’t be outside. That left a world of possibilities. None of which Amira felt she was prepared for.

She’d wiped down the counters and loaded the dishwasher. She’d chopped vegetables for dinner later and still her hands were fidgety. Doubt crept into her mind. The last time she’d had a date she’d been stood up. But, she reminded herself, that was the first time M’Baku had kissed her as well. The memory warmed her belly and crept through her veins. She could do this. He was just a man. A man who was tall as a tree and just as solid. One who tended to make her brain fuzz and who could frustrate her to no end by his sheer stubbornness.

Allowing herself one last pass of her hands down the fitted denim, Amira moved her nerves to the living room and perched on the sofa. She caught herself in the reflective surface of the television. She had to admit she was cute. She’d settled on a pair of dark washed jeans, a fitted, long line camisole, and a cropped hoodie. Never one to hide her curves, despite her bashfulness, Amira was satisfied with what she saw. The bright red of her lips was a pop of color against the solid blackness of her clothing. Amira caught herself drumming her thumbs against her knees and biting into her bottom lip. Her nerves wouldn’t settle so she closed her eyes and drew slow breaths into her nose and exhaled them through her parted mouth. She could feel the tension melting from her shoulders when the solid knock of knuckles on wood broke her trance. He was early.

Amira pushed out one last breathing exercise on her way to the door. The open space before her framed M’Baku against the brightening blue of Jabari morning. He was gorgeous as usual, but he was also in a rush. He brushed past her with barely a good morning and headed directly into her kitchen. Amira trailed him in confusion. By the time she caught up to M’Baku, he’d come to a stop at the large farm sink at the back of the room. She could hear the faint running of water and the rustle of something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. When he turned, M’Baku held a royal purple orchid towards her, its delicate stem extending from an intricately carved, wooden pot. Amira swear she swooned.

“A little gift as a peace offering,” he said simply before moving to position the flower in the sunlight on the windowsill over the sink.

He moved again towards the box balanced on her breakfast table, then reached in to reveal another orchid. This one a pale lavender splashed with white. Amira had to again keep up as he made his way back to the living room. This time, he placed the orchid on the small table next to the sofa and adjusted the lamp’s light directly onto it.

His third trip, one she stayed put for, was a final orchid. This one stilled her heart and her body. This gift was fiery orange and coupled with a deep red companion potted beside it. M’Baku paused in front of her, the gleaming pot secured in one palm.

“Sometimes they need a companion to grow. It’s about balancing what they each need.”

His gaze bore directly into hers and Amira felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She wanted to say something witty, even sarcastic, as protection and a buffer but words failed her.

“Bedroom?”

Amira fumbled to point towards the closed door at the end of the hallway. He set his body in motion and she was again on his heels. He was surveying her room when she reached the doorway, her hands nervously clasped in front of her. She watched him pace the room briefly before settling the pot on the windowsill opposite her bed. The care with which he positioned and repositioned the pot for optimum light endeared him to her even more.

“All set! Ready to go?”

Amira was still in some sort of stupor from the whirlwind M’Baku had just set free around her home. Now, each morning when she opened her eyes there would be a reminder of him. Every time she had breakfast it would be the same. And it would be repeated each time she settled in for the evening. Those thoughts were both warming and enough to make her thighs clench together. Maybe one of these days she would be able to wake up to both the flowers and him. Go to sleep with the delicate scent mingling with their sweat and passion and lust and…

“Orchid?”

Amira snapped back to the present.

“Ummm yea…I’m ready.”

M’Baku’s mischievous grin was not lost on her. He knew exactly what he was setting in motion so when he approached her deliberately Amira did not move. Bashfulness made her want to look away from his stare, but she held her ground. She heard his noise of approval.

“Good morning, Orchid,” he mumbled as he pecked her cheek. “I apologize for my rudeness. I wanted to get the flowers out of the cold.”

Amira was stunned her returned greeting didn’t come out a moan because of the warm roughness of his tongue against her neck.

“Do you accept my apology, sweetheart?” A peck to the opposite cheek was followed by her tight nod.

“Good. Now may I have my morning sugar?”

M’Baku chuckled at her confusion.

“You want sugar? Like in coffee?”

His laughter morphed from a chuckle to a wide-open sound that made her want to join in.

“I told you that once I had a taste of your sweetness I couldn’t be expected to go too long without it.”

Amira watched his eyes darken even further before he bent his height to meet hers. Then his sugar became hers as well when the taste of his tongue invaded her mouth and brought every one of her senses to life. What control she had of her limbs was lost. Her arms decided to find a home around his neck. Her legs decided they wanted to weaken until she needed the solid wall of his chest to support her. And between the rapid fire beating of her heart and the fluttering of her stomach she was surprised she hadn’t broken apart in his arms. Once he’d thoroughly kissed her, M’Baku lifted his head from hers. That smile was back on his face.

“All that from a kiss, Orchid?” He trailed a finger lazily across her lips. “We have so much more to explore.”

With that he shifted her body towards the door, pressing his chest to her spine before leading her back down the hallway. He waited patiently for the fog in her head to clear as she gathered her coat and slid a pair of lined snow boots onto her feet. Outside, in the clear and crisp morning, Amira was surprised there was no official caravan waiting to whisk them away to their destination. She looked at him curiously.

“What? I am the greatest warrior in all of Jabari land. You think I can’t fend off an attack from a delicate orchid such as you?”

Amira pressed a hand to her chest and dropped her mouth open in surprise. “It that so, your highness?”

“Indeed, princess,” he smirked.

Amira, against her normal staid decision making, launched herself at M’Baku. She’d caught him off guard and his body faltered slightly before toppling over into the snow. The laughter pealed out of her mouth before she could stop it. Amira took off in a sprint when she heard his playful growl and calling of her now loved nickname. She had a decent head start, but when she’d rounded the house and dipped into a small thicket beyond the fence line, she stopped dead in her tracks. In a small clearing stood a miniature version of the greenhouse where they’d met. A hand flew up to cover her mouth. The crunching of M’Baku’s boots behind her spun her body to face him.

“It’s yours, Orchid. Let me show you inside.”


	6. Chapter 6

“How?” The word was muffled behind her hand, but Amira was sure M’Baku heard her by the way his palm planted at the small of her back and guided her into the greenhouse.

The chill of the morning dissipated quickly once the door closed behind them. While the structure was markedly smaller than the one at the city center, M’Baku’s gift to her was still brimming with flowering blooms and greenery. Amira momentarily forgot M’Baku was there and wandered between the two long planting tables positioned in the center of the room. Along the walls, deep sills were waiting for plants to gather all available sunlight. Her fingers caressed the edge of a massive leaf before her attention returned to the man waiting patiently in the frame of the doorway.

“Do you like it, Orchid?” His question lingered on his lips as well as in his eyes. It was the first time Amira had ever seen him nervous. It was surprisingly cute to watch such a large man rock back and forth on his heels while averting his eyes. 

Amira crossed back to where he stood and brought herself up onto her toes to palm the adorable puff of his cheeks. She kissed him lightly before answering.

“That’s a very silly question, you know.”

She watched the smile break across his face.

“You still haven’t answered how you did this. Why you did this.”

Just as she’d been in a stupor earlier, M’Baku seemed to be in one of his own. Her palm pressed to his chest broke his trance. 

“I did it to make you happy. Because I know the greenhouse gives you peace.”

“And just how do you know that?”

Amira let out a small bark of surprise when M’Baku plucked her from her feet and placed her onto one of the tables.

“I told you before our class wasn’t the first time I’d seen you. You’ve been dragging yourself into that greenhouse, the same corner, for months. You always look tired.”

This time it was Amira who averted her eyes. Her stomach had resumed its fluttering. M’Baku did not force her to meet his gaze.

“There were days I watched you from across the room and all I wanted to do was pull you into my lap and comfort you. You think no one sees you, Orchid. I’ve seen you countless times.”

Amira’s heart soared.

“What business does a king have looking at a commoner like me?”

M’Baku growled. “In my presence you’ll say nothing of the sort about yourself. This king has spent many pleasurable moments looking directly at a queen. Whether or not she knows that’s exactly what she is.”

This time he cupped her chin in his fingers and brought her eyes back to his.

“You don’t think I noticed those days you looked longingly at couples as they passed by. How often I wanted to come to you and offer to take the sadness out of your eyes?”

M’Baku’s fingers ghosted along her jawline. His thumb followed a path along her bottom lip before dipping to sample a bit of her. It was all too brief a contact and Amira groaned at his absence when he retreated.

“Do have any earthly idea how much I’ve wanted you since the first time you looked directly at me?”

Amira shook her head. There was a part of her that wanted to be bold and respond in a flirtatious manner that would make her seem confident. But that wasn’t her. She wanted him too, but her earlier burst of confidence had withered. But somewhere in her chest she knew M’Baku would be patient with her, a careful and giving lover. Amira’s thoughts faltered. M’Baku hadn’t said a word about wanting to make love to her. But she knew. The air was thick, humid in a way that wasn’t because of the temperature-controlled environment.

“Will you let me have you? Cherish everything I know you are?”

She hummed her agreement before she had a chance to hesitate.

“And you’ll let me appreciate every part of the body and spirit that makes you my Orchid?”

Amira inhaled softly and pushed out a breathy yes.

The smoothness and roughness of his hands pressing beneath her camisole confused and excited Amira. His hands felt like a lifetime of work behind silk. They were strong as they grabbed her close and carried her more deeply into the greenhouse. For the second time that morning, she lost her breath. In a nearly hidden portion of her new sanctuary, M’Baku had recreated her favorite spot from the central building. She turned to him swiftly and took his mouth in a hungry kiss as thanks.

Laid out in the center of the overstuffed L-shaped sofa was a massive quilt, its white a shocking contrast to the green all around them. Amira was flattered by his preparation. A quick glance revealed a picnic basket and several books balanced on a small table. She craned her neck slightly to read the titles.

“They’re about the proper care of orchids. That comes later, sweetheart.”

They shared a brief smile before he lowered himself to his knees, then pressed her back to the softness of the quilt. Deft hands removed the boots and jeans from her lower half before gliding up her body to gently tug the hoodie and camisole away from her frame. Instinct made her want to cover herself, but the heat in M’Baku’s eyes stopped her. His gaze raked over her in a way that let her know that he was coveting the spread of her thighs and the hill of her belly. Two large hands flattened against that belly and pressed upwards until the fingers breached the pale pink lace and covered the breasts beneath. Those same hands were strong as they massaged the tender flesh there, rolled the peaked buds between digits until Amira writhed in pleasure beneath M’Baku.

Sliding one arm beneath her, M’Baku removed the final barriers preventing him from beholding all that Amira now knew he’d claimed. Amira’s senses were on overload. She was losing herself in the way M’Baku was suckling at her breast, how one large hand had made its way between her thighs. There was no possibility she could ignore the string of praises and thanks he whispered between sucks and kisses. Beautiful. Mine. Queen. Foolish men. Forever. Then there was the scent of earth, flora, and water in the air. It smelled like home, like the growing of the world.

“Orchid…let me see those eyes.”

M’Baku was looking at her as if she were unfurling her petals for the first time. With his body canopied above her, Amira could only see him and the halo of light and Jabari blue skies framing him. 

“My beautiful, beautiful orchid,” he mumbled against her shoulder. “Open for me.”

Amira felt her core blossom at the deep caress of his voice and its vibrations against her flushed flesh. M’Baku leaned back on his haunches to remove his clothing. Amira’s throat dried at the sight of him nude. He was exactly as she expected, powerful and regal.

She shivered when he locked eyes with her. He pitched forward again. The warmth of his flesh against hers felt perfect. Amira felt an unlocking in her spirit. Behind the walls she’d hidden behind this is what she wanted, a man to look at her in equal parts adoration and lust. A man who wanted to make her come undone beneath him and then carefully put her back together again.

Amira savored the taste of M’Baku’s mouth as it covered hers more times than she could count. Those kisses melted the rest of her walls and when asked for final confirmation this was what she wanted, she pulled him as close as she could. She let loose a small moan into his mouth as he tentatively pushed into her, pausing for her to adjust. When he was finally seated deeply within her, M’Baku set a pace more languid than she expected. She hadn’t known passion could be slow, cool as the air swirling outside the glass walls. M’Baku’s hand tangled in her hair as he propped himself on his forearms to get a view of her. Amira fought to keep her eyes open. Each pass of his body inside of her was like a tiny explosion building. Each time she thought there was no more room inside her for pleasure, M’Baku found a way to unlock yet another part of her. He was filling her to the brim, filling her until the final lock opened and all of her spilled out into the world.

Amira stirred some time later splayed across M’Baku’s torso. She felt drugged in the best of ways. However, the man she wanted more of was very alert and also very occupied with one of the books from the pile she spied earlier.

“Welcome back to the world, love,” he chuckled.

Amira flushed.

“You’re a quiet, beautiful woman in a loud, ugly world. An orchid among weeds.”

“Excuse me?”

M’Baku gestured towards the book. “Something I read here. Reminded me of my orchid and why I intended on learning everything I need to about properly caring for her. Get some more rest. I’ll be here when you wake.”


	7. Chapter 7

Nature was putting on a show when Amira opened her eyes. Outside of the warm interior of the greenhouse, snow swirled and dove in the darkening sky. Drifts caught in the air then cascaded to the untouched expanse of forest below. M’Baku had perfectly recreated her favorite place in the world. The view here, her own little slice of Jabari heaven, was just as breathtaking as it was in the city center. While the snow was a beautiful sight to wake up to so was the man propped against the sofa with a book curled around his fingers.

Amira studied him closely. He was sleeping, his sable lashes resting against his cheeks and his plush lips parted by surprisingly soft snores. This was a warrior at rest. Her warrior if she’d have him. As fearful as that thought made her, Amira was also beginning to want it to be true. He’d been gentle with her body and her heart in ways she hadn’t expected. Amira’s love had been battered against the rocks for so long that the idea of M’Baku tending to it was foreign.

Her frustration, fear, and exhaustion had finally caught up with her. She longed to have someone to wrap herself into at night, to protect her and make her feel loved. She hadn’t had that in years and for the life of her, she couldn’t understand why she was denying herself now. Amira let out a sigh, blowing her thoughts toward the window and out of her body. Didn’t she deserve someone like M’Baku? Where was her life now? Aching for someone to share his life with her and she was pushing him away with all the strength she had. What more could be done to hurt her that hadn't already transpired? The worst thing that could happen was that the loneliness would begin again once the relationship was over.

Amira felt M’Baku’s arms belt her waist and without a second thought she leaned back into the wide expanse of his chest. He smelled heavenly and felt just the same.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” His voice rumbled into her spine.

“It is. You can see everything. All of Hanuman’s creation.”

Amira melted her body more deeply into his and returned her attention to the whitening landscape outside. Sitting up without warning, he secured her body to his chest and moved from the quilted blanket beneath them. He found his shirt within arm’s reach and tugged it over her head. Placing her on her feet, he lifted her chin with one finger and kissed her until he felt her swoon. This stolen, brief, but all too passionate caress made a blush creep into her cheeks. Seconds after the contact of their lips ceased Amira’s arms still lingered around his neck. Lest they never fill their bellies, M’Baku released her and took a small step back.

“Ready to eat?”

Amira’s hungry gaze was no match for M’Baku’s as he gazed down at her. With a slight movement, he moved closer. His heady natural scent toyed with her senses. A flash of yearning started to crawl its way from her arms into her chest and pooled at her center. He got to her. There was something about his aura that had drawn her in the first time they had met and continued to hold her ever since. She could only nod, still not completely sure how she’d come to be the current lover of the Jabari king. 

“Orchid, you are absolutely breathtaking. It never ceases to amaze me.”

“Like right now? Matted hair and all?” she joked. A smoky laugh bubbled through her lips and she locked her honeyed eyes onto his.

“Morning breath and eye crust, too,” he laughed while he rummaged through a small refrigerator tucked into an alcove.

Amira was impressed. He had really thought of everything. She quieted in order to observe his movements. He moved gracefully for a such a big man and she pondered how often he was not allowed to be gentle or still. For all he’d given to her, Amira had not once thought of what he needed from her. She’d bide her time and find out exactly what her king needed to be happy and maybe even loved. 

Halfway through lunch, Amira balanced her fork at the edge of her salad bowl and propped her elbows on the table. M’Baku looked at her curiously.

“What is it, love?” He mumbled between bites. “Is the food not to your liking?” 

“It’s wonderful, but you know this. Stop fishing for compliments,” she chided. His laughter met hers in the warmed air.

“Then how may I be of service?” 

The double entendre in his statement was not lost on Amira. Nor was the mischievous glint in his eye. Or the way everything around them felt supercharged. She cleared her throat.

“What can I do to make you happy?”

M’Baku seemed genuinely surprised at her question. Amira watched shadows of confusion and gratitude dance across his rugged features.

“I know firsthand what it’s like to feel invisible, like no one bothers worrying about you. And I guess for you it’s a bit different since you are the tribe’s priority. But what do you need, M’Baku?”

He pondered for a moment before starting and then stopping. “No one has ever asked me that before. It’s always just assumed what I desire. Thank you, Orchid.”

Amira nodded and gestured for him to answer.

“I suppose I need to be seen just like you. Would you believe I’m not always the Great Gorilla? That I’m not always the primitive warrior outsiders, and some of our own people, believe me to be?”

“Who are you?” Amira honestly wanted to know.

“A man trying to balance the world.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“That doesn’t answer my question. Who are you? What do you need?”

When he hesitated, Amira let out a hum.

“Don’t answer now. Think about it. But understand this, just as you want me to stop running? I want you to let me make you happy.”

Amira was terrified, but she finally felt ready to leap.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: All I Do by Stevie Wonder, Save Room by John Legend, and Simply Beautiful by Al Green

Amira was frustrated. Looking around her kitchen made her want to cry. The sink was overflowing with dirty dishes and the counter was smudged with the remnants of chocolate icing and cake batter. All of the windows were thrown open to let out the smoke billowing from the oven. She waved her hands furiously about her face trying to stop from choking on the acrid smell. In the span of a few minutes she’d gone from licking batter off the back of a wooden spoon to throwing the half-baked mess of a cake into the trash. 

She’d accidently overfilled the heart shaped pan, the excess dripping and burning before she’d realized what happened. Now, Amira was terrified her hair smelled like smoke and the evening was ruined. She had been trying to think of ways to repay M’Baku for the kindness of his greenhouse gift, but nothing as grand had come to her mind. He’d yet to answer what would make him happy so Amira had been left to her own devices. 

A simply worded invitation had arrived via courier a week ago along with a small orchid pendant. The request to celebrate M’Baku’s birthday with him was nothing Amira could have ever expected. It had taken four readings of the small card for her to be sure she wasn’t dreaming. She’d accepted only on the condition he allowed her to plan something for him. Amira knew she could never compete with the lavish ball planned for him later in the month, but she would do her best to let him know how much he was beginning to mean to her. 

Except right now, Amira felt frumpy and sad. She’d wanted to give him something heartfelt but everything she could think of she’d torn to shreds. The cake, a lemon and strawberry confection, was her way of saying happy birthday before they were swept away to a world of suits, place settings, and formality. Too bad it was all ruined. Amira let herself sulk for a moment more before she lifted her chin. In the weeks M’Baku had been in her life, he’d been sure to let her feel every bit of her emotions, but he’d also challenged her to move beyond them once she acknowledged what she was feeling. She’d fix this. Throwing on her coat, Amira checked the clock near the sink. She had time to pick up something from the bakery and still make it back in time to primp herself. 

***

Amira smoothed a hand across the back of her head once more, finally satisfied all of her wayward curls and kinks were in some way accounted for. Unlike earlier, she felt pretty. The green maxi dress made her brown skin glow and the golden earrings, orchid pendant, and bracelets looked like glitter each time she moved. She was spritzing on a cloud of a musky and floral scent and puckering her lips when the doorbell rang. She gathered herself and made her nervous approach towards the door. Hanuman must have finally shone his favor on her because the sight on her doorstep was certainly a miracle. M’Baku in all his glory was beaming down at her with a wide smile on his face.

“How’s my Orchid?” 

“She’s fine,” she replied and watched his eyebrow quirk. 

M’Baku took steps forward until he was fully through the doorway. “You’re my orchid?” 

His long arms wrapped around her, pulled her flush against him. She nodded.

“That will not work, usana. I need to hear it.”

Amira cast her eyes downward and let them rest in the center of his chest. “I’m your orchid,” she nearly whispered. 

“That makes me happy. Birthday complete!” M’Baku proclaimed and went to leave.

Amira shrieked! “No! I have plans for you.” 

He chuckled and returned her to his arms. Then his lips found hers, one hand grasping the back of her neck to hold her where he wanted her. His warm tongue licked the seam of her lips before parting them to dive into her sweetness. Amira’s body hummed. M’Baku released his hold and let his hands glide down the slope of her back to palm her ass. He squeezed firmly before breaking the contact of their mouths. 

“Hmmm. Plans you say?” 

Amira’s head was swimming. Each and every time the man kissed her it was as if her mind short-circuited. She helped slide the jacket from his shoulders and led him to the sofa. 

“Have a seat. Things are almost ready,” she called over her shoulder while making her exit towards the dining room. 

She lit candles in the center of the rustic table and straightened the place settings again. Amira ran sweaty hands across the fabric stretched across her thighs, scanned the table once more and headed back into the living room to get the guest of honor. 

“’Baku?” she called softly to avoid startling him. He looked up from the phone in his hand. The look that crossed his face almost made her turn to see what had him so enraptured. 

“I’m looking at you. You’re gorgeous.” The quiet awe in his voice stilled her. She was unable to move when he rose to walk towards her. 

“Dinner is ready.” 

M’Baku smirked at her and let her lead. Across the table from him, Amira was glad to be able to see the way the candlelight flickered across his features. If she was gorgeous, then he was breathtaking. The golden light caught the peaks and valleys of his nose and lips, highlighted his cheekbones. It was a pleasure to watch the man who continuously surprised and warmed her eat heartily of something she’d prepared with her own hands. 

She left him to his own devices to gather his gift. When she returned, flicking off the lights upon her arrival, he let out a hearty laugh. A candle stood proudly in the center of the decadent coconut lemon cupcake, its flame helping light her path back to M’Baku. 

“First, your gift.” The words had scarcely left her mouth when M’Baku pushed his chair back from the table and drew her into his lap, the fabric of her dress riding up as she straddled him. She balanced the small box in her palm and extended it towards him. He exchanged the gift in her hand for a press of his lips against the column of her neck. 

Amira watched his eyes light as he tore away the parchment paper. 

“Orchid?” Questions hung heavily in the air. “Is this?”

“It is. When your parents were married, packets of seeds were given as favors in the hopes love would bloom all over Jabariland.”

“How? I wasn’t even a thought the universe then.” 

“Elders have a funny way of holding onto things, you know. There are so many curiosity shops in some of the smaller villages. I was lucky to come across it one day. I’m pretty sure they won’t bloom, but you’re more than welcome to try in the greenhouse.”

M’Baku kissed her deeply. “That matters not. My heart is so full, Orchid. You have no idea how you’ve given light to my soul.” 

Amira ducked her head and chewed her bottom lip. “Time to make your wish.” 

 

M’Baku blew out the candle with a smirk before sinking his teeth into the sugary treat. He extended a bite to Amira. 

“What did you wish for?” she asked, licking the icing from her lips. 

“If I tell you it won’t come true, right?” he chided, squeezing her tightly. 

Amira giggled back at him and adjusted herself in his arms. “That is the myth, but you’re the Great Gorilla. I’m sure if you speak it whatever it is will happen anyways.” 

“I wished for you,” he said in a blunt way that set her stomach aflutter. 

Amira gazed at him in confusion. “Me?” 

“Yes, Orchid. One of these days you will cease being shocked when I tell you such things. I wished for you.”

M’Baku must have read the continued confusion in her features. 

“I wished for you because you make me happy. You asked me what you could do and without me answering you’ve done what I hadn’t realized I needed.” 

“I’m just me, M’Baku. Nothing special.” 

“For you as long as you believe that I will be here to tell you the opposite is true.” He kissed her wrist. “For the last few weeks you’ve given me a respite the rest of the world doesn’t realize I need. I look forward to coming to the greenhouse, sharing my evenings with you no matter how quiet or routine.”

Amira felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “I just want you to have a safe place in the world. Somewhere you can breathe easily.” 

M’Baku was quiet for a moment. 

“That’s why I’m falling in love with you, Orchid.” 

Amira was stunned, her breath quickened. She stammered out a noise of surprise.

“In love with me?” A slender hand pressed to her chest. 

“Yes.” A kiss. “I’m falling in love with a very timid Orchid who is beginning to bloom.” A kiss. 

Amira snuggled closer. 

“One who has made me calmer and allowed me to let my guard down.” 

“One who is falling in love with you, too,” she confessed as she leaned in to taste the sugar on his lips.


	9. Chapter 9

Amira groaned then shivered as her eyes pulled open. She felt as if she was naked in the Jabari hinterlands. Wrapping the thick quilt over around her frame, she burrowed deeper into the plush mattress but the shivering would not stop. Then she felt a flash of heat enveloping her skin and threw back the blankets only to be freezing again within seconds. Annoyed, she tried to growl but was stopped short by the scratch and burn of her throat. Sick. She was sick. Amira curled into a ball and let a rack of coughs echo from her chest. She couldn’t be sick. She only had a few days to get ready for M’Baku’s birthday ball.

Using what little strength she had, Amira shimmied on a pair of sweatpants, a hoodie, and thick socks. She drug her body through the quietness of her home until she was standing before her stove waiting for the kettle to boil. All she needed was a little tea and some rest and she’d be good as new. Amira made a quick call to the office and let her boss know she was too ill to come in. Thankfully, she was reliable to a fault so her need for time was met with understanding and concern. Shrugging off the need for one of her co-workers to check on her, Amira secured the mug in her palms and shuffled back to the bed.

The sun had set by the time Amira’s eyes opened a second time. Her tea, stone cold and long forgotten, was perched on the bedside table in the shadow of the dual orchid pot. She sighed deeply at the throb behind her eyes and the pressure settled into her sinuses. She was really, actually, truly sick! Amira drew the hoodie onto her head and pulled the strings tightly. She was shivering so vigorously that she felt the beginnings of cramps in her shoulders. Curling tightly, she rocked back and forth beneath the layer of blankets and sheets and groaned. A quick mental check let her know she didn’t have the proper provisions to survive being quarantined so she needed a plan quickly.

She was plopping items into her online delivery cart when M’Baku’s face interrupted her shopping along with his ringtone.

“Hello?” she croaked, setting off a fit of chest crushing coughs.

“Orchid? Are you ill?” His voice dripped with concern and she could hear him rustling about.

“Just a little under the weather. I’ll be okay,” she lied.

“Nonsense. I’m on my way. Unlock the door and get back into bed.”

“But…”

“Do not fight me on this,” he growled before the line went dead.

Something cool across her brow woke Amira the third time. It took a moment to adjust her vision, but when things came into focus M’Baku’s large frame was dipping the mattress next her. His face was full of concern as he held a damp cloth to her burning forehead.

“You’re on fire, sweetheart,” he mumbled as he removed the cloth and dipped it into a bowl balanced on the nightstand.

“I’m cold,” Amira managed to push out.

“Shhhh. Let me take care of you.”

She relented if only for the reason she did not have the strength to fight. Promising to return quickly, M’Baku exited the room briefly only to return with a tray of items. Before exhaustion closed her eyes again, she spied a mug of fresh steaming tea, honey, and a selection of natural remedies. She helped M’Baku move her to a seated position and gratefully accepted the liquid. Amira sipped tentatively, the heat sliding down her throat and spreading warmth to every bit of her body. While she drank, M’Baku pushed the hoodie from her head and chuckled at the spike of hair that bounded forward when he did.

“Don’t laugh at me,” she pouted. “I’m sick.”

M’Baku ruffled her hair. “I know, Orchid. You’re very adorable and very sick.”

He leaned forward until Amira’s forehead was pressed to the white t-shirt stretched across his impressively wide body. He deftly used his fingers and palms to sweep the thick mass away from her face and used a scarf retrieved from the nearby drawer to bind her locks into a puff.

“There! Not perfect, but we’ll get it in order once you’re well. Deal? No more laughing at my baby.”

Even through her fever, Amira felt the heat rise in her cheeks at his pet name. She nodded and tried to finish her tea. When she did, M’Baku held out a glass of water and two handmade capsules.

“From my personal physician. This should help you rest and start to clear out your system. I swear that woman’s a miracle worker.”

Amira nodded and swallowed what he offered.

“Now, let’s get you some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake.”

Amira felt silly, but she held out her arms towards him. M’Baku chuckled lightly and took a spot next to her in the bed. “You want me to get sick, too?”

He was joking and spread his arms wide until Amira settled against his chest. He was solid and safe and before she knew it, she was drifting off once again.

_It gets worse before it gets better. I’m here, Orchid._

_Drink a little bit more okay. I squeezed it fresh just for you._

_That’s it. Raise your arms a little more. We need to change your clothes. You’re soaked._

_I love you._

_I’m not sure what else I should do. I can’t seem to get her fever to break. Yes. I’ve given her the capsules and applied the poultice to her chest. Uh huh. Okay. I’ll try. If not, prep the private recovery room next to my chambers._

The feel of water enveloping her startled Amira out of darkness. She thrashed about before a heavy hand against her chest settled her.

“Shhhh. I’m here. We need to get you cooled down okay? Just relax into it.” M’Baku’s voice washed over her and Amira sank into the silkiness around her. She wasn’t at home. Instead she was in a room that was warm and very masculine. Wherever her eyes rested, there was rich woods and vibrant blues. But what she was most confused about was the large tub of water in which she sat, M’Baku settled in behind her.

“You’re in my chambers. My tub’s bigger,” he said simply. “I couldn’t get your fever to break so the doctor suggested a lukewarm bath may help.”

Amira relaxed completely against him. The sound of water shifting was followed by a trickle of it falling from a sponge onto her shoulder. She shifted slightly to look back at him. His face was set with purpose as he dipped the sponge again and tried to cool her skin.

“Ice baths lead to shivering that heat up the body even more.”

Amira swooned a little. “Thank you, ‘Bak.”

He answered with a simple _hmmph_ and continued cascading the water over her. He didn’t seem put off about their nudeness or how Amira knew she looked. She felt horrible and could only imagine what her face reflected.

“When did you bring me here?” She leaned back into him again.

“Yesterday. You were so hot I didn’t know what else to do. It scared me.”

His admission fluttered her stomach. He’d stayed and cared for her when he had an entire kingdom to run. Amira turned her head and kissed the inside of his arm. Silence descended onto the room. Save the occasional ripple of water, they let the sounds of each other’s breathing calm them until the water cooled.

“Let’s get you settled into bed, eh? Can you eat?” He questioned, lifting her from the tub and wrapping her in a large towel. “You should eat,” he said as if trying to convince himself.

M’Baku left her swaddled into his large bed, a low fire dancing in the hearth next to it. Amira took a moment to scan the room. Her heart stilled when she spied a dual orchid that matched hers on what she assumed was his favored side of the bed. A quiet knock caught her attention. She’d barely gathered the furs across her bare chest when the door pressed open. A woman, regal by every definition of the word, entered. A well worn leather bag was hanging near her hip.

“I’m glad to see you are awake. When he carried you in last night it was as if the world had stopped.” Her voice was like honey.

Amira went to speak but was silenced by a gently raised hand.

“I’m just here to make sure you get the next dose of your medicine. You’ve come down with a pretty nasty lung infection, dear.” She propped herself next to Amira and opened the bag.

Amira was grateful for the cool glass of water and the silky elixir that tasted of strawberries.

“Now, just how long have you been seeing my son?”

Amira’s mouth gaped. In the haze of her illness she’d failed to recognize the Queen Mother of the Jabari. She moved to bow, but a soft hand on her forearm halted her movements.

“My son would have my head if I let a toe touch the floor,” she chuckled in a way that surprisingly matched her child’s own boisterous laugh. “I imagine you’re the orchid that has him all aflutter.”

“That she is,” M’Baku’s voice nearly whispered behind them, a smile shining between each syllable.


	10. Chapter 10

The delicate bowl seemed dwarfed in M’Baku’s hand as he closed the door behind him. He placed the vessel on the nightstand and moved his body between Amira’s and his mother’s. Using his bulk, he shielded Amira as he pulled a linen sleeping shirt over her head. It was obviously his, its fabric pooling about her waist before she wiggled it beneath her bottom. She smiled a thanks at him, happy she was no longer bare to the world under the furs.

“Now, you eat something. It’s broth, but it will give you strength,” he murmured as he leaned over to retrieve the bowl. He placed it gently in her hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead. His mother tutted in the background.

Amira watched the slight grimace before he rose and turned to her. 

“Hello, Mother. I pray Hanuman finds you well this morning?” He embraced her tightly before gazing down at her.

“That he does, my son. I pray you are much more settled than you were last evening. I was telling your Orchid that you were in a terrible state when the two of you arrived.”

Amira was amused. This hulk of a man was still confident, but he deferred to his mother in a manner that was endearing and swoon worthy.

“I am. Has Amira had her medicine?” he queried as he turned to her and swept a few stray strands away from her face. Amira swore she saw love staring back at her.

“Amira. A lovely name. It means princess, you know.” A smile beamed from her face. “Very fitting.”

“Mother…”

“What? I’m simply saying you’ve been enamored with this young lady and I’m glad to finally place a face to a name. Princess is a very apt title for her. She’s lovely.”

She shuffled by her son and took his former perch beside Amira on the bed. She pressed the back of her hand to Amira’s forehead. Her skin was the smoothest Amira had ever felt.

“Your temperature is down. I think a few more days of bed rest should do it. You gave my son quite the scare. I’ve never seen him so distraught. Raising his voice in one moment and on the verge of tears in the next.”

M’Baku growled behind her, but was quickly silenced with a cutting glance.

“Now, let me formally introduce myself. I’m this young man’s mother. Otherwise known as Bolanle. I’m very pleased to meet you.”

“It is my honor, your highness,” Amira croaked out around the scratch of her throat. 

“M’Baku? Dear, would you please bring Amira some tea? Ask the kitchen to make it jasmine with the clover honey from the spring.” 

She flitted a hand to dismiss him. Amira could only shrug as he exited the room. 

***

“I’m going to miss your birthday ball,” Amira pouted from her seated position in M’Baku’s bed.

While she wasn’t 100% well, she’d tried multiple times to make her way from the palace to her place to no avail. M’Baku was barely willing to let her feet touch the smooth wood of his bedroom floor. He’d been doting on her. She was full and hydrated and medicated and very bored. There were but so many books she could read and shows she could watch while the hustle and bustle of all of Jabariland was going on just outside the door.

She didn’t feel as if M’Baku was hiding her because she knew his tight hold was due to fear and concern. Amira knew this from the way his arms banded across her waist each night and how his nose nuzzled into her neck each time he shifted in his sleep. She’d accepted it, happy to press her body deeper into his and kiss the solid forearm sprouting from beneath her. But his party was that evening and despite M’Baku’s instance she was beautiful, Amira felt raggedy. She could picture the bright orange of her ballgown sitting all alone in her closet. 

“The ball is not important, usana. You are still not well,” he chided.

“I’m at 85%. That’s good enough. Just for a little while?” 

“No,” he set his jaw at the flash of fire in her eyes. “You will remain here and when I return we shall celebrate in our own way.”

“Ooooh! With broth and tea? So fancy,” Amira snarked as her arms crossed beneath her breasts. “I think it’s time for you to go get ready, your highness.”

M’Baku’s fingers ghosted along her jawline. “It’s for the best, Orchid. I’ll make sure your medicine and dinner arrive shortly.” He gave her one last glance before closing the door behind him.

Amira kicked her legs furiously and slammed her fists onto the mattress next to her hips. She was frustrated. Not only could she smell the glorious scents of a feast, she could hear strains of musicians warming up in a covered courtyard she could see the corner of from the bedroom. In defiance, she threw back the covers and placed her feet to the floor. Wandering out onto the balcony, she leaned against the stone bannister and pouted some more. She was fully ready to pout until M’Baku finally let her go home. Or she could do what she wanted. 

Slipping on a pair of slippers and a deeply woven robe, Amira cracked the bedroom door and peeked out into the hallway. The coast was clear. No guards and no M’Baku. She took off down the hallway as quickly as her 85% would allow. The sound of music carried her to the party space, all awash with shades of deep blues and gold. It was beautiful and it took Amira by surprise. She stood at the entryway, her eyes and head swiveling to take in everything she could. The towering floral arrangements stood proudly in the center of each table covered in stark white linens. A massive dais was obviously where M’Baku, his family, and council would sit. 

She wandered more deeply into the room, her fingers trailing along the edges of tables and gilded chairs. Above her, a skylight let the beginnings of the night sky filter into the room. It would be beautiful once evening fully set. She could only imagine the way the stars would shine. Suddenly, the sky spun and she was floating above the ground. A familiar scent and heat settled around her. M’Baku.

“You are the most stubborn woman I have met in all my years, Orchid,” he whispered against her ear. “Were we alone, I’d properly tame you.” 

Amira shuddered, suddenly glad for the flitter of people around them. 

“Now, I’ll allow you a few more moments and then it’s back to bed with you.”

Placing her to her feet, M’Baku looped his arms around her waist. She matched the loop with her arms around his neck. She craned up to look at him. 

“Perhaps I am stubborn, but I’m fine. I promise. I just want to make sure your birthday is perfect. I have a dress and everything,” she stated while M’Baku started to move her to the quiet music in the room. 

“And I’m sure you are a vision in that dress, but please indulge me. I’m worried about you.” 

Amira lay her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. 

“You cannot imagine how badly I yearn to have you next to me this evening, but this is not important when it comes to your health. Maybe I’m being overly cautious.” 

Amira nodded against him. “Okay.”

“You gave me the greatest birthday gift already, Orchid.” 

Pecking her quickly on the lips, M’Baku returned her to his arms and made his way back to his chambers.

***  
The knock on the door lifted Amira’s head from the book she was reading. In her view, the dinner tray delivered not too long before sat ignored with its delicate orchid stem sprouting from a thin throated vase. 

“Please come in.” 

The sight of her orange ballgown filling the doorway stunned her. A slim, brown hand moved the fabric before revealing the person behind it. 

“Hello, dear. I hope you’re up to the ball this evening. I’m sure my son will be glad to see you.” 

Amira popped from the bed and gathered the dress into her arms. She lay it atop the covers and smoothed its fabric, admiring it as if it was the first time she’d seen it. Turning towards the Queen Mother, her eyes were opened widely in shock.

“I heard you and my son speaking in the ballroom. Love, my dear princess, blocks out the world. Neither of you even noticed I was there.”

Amira blushed. “My apologies. I just wanted to see the space. M’Baku had no idea I’d wandered off.” 

Bolanle shushed her. “You are an adult and he cannot control where you go and what you do. We both know it is out of love that he wants to keep you sequestered here.”

Amira averted her eyes. She heard the rustle of Bolanle coming closer before her chin was lifted. 

“Yes, my son loves you. I knew that before I ever met you. The way his eyes light when he speaks of you makes my heart soar. And now, seeing you with him, even in this weakened state, I know you feel the same for him.”

She brushed her finger across Amira’s cheek. "Now, let’s get you ready to blow his socks off!”


	11. Chapter 11

Amira couldn’t stop touching her skin. Whatever magical concoction of oils and creams Bolanle had slathered onto her after she’d steamed away congestion in M’Baku’s personal sauna smelled like some sort of heavenly mix of cocoa and musk. And it made her soft. So soft she’d been distracted the entire time a small cadre of women had twisted and looped her hair about her head and draped the orange dress onto her curves. Now she was standing in front of a full length mirror in awe. Her fingers drifted across the rise of her cheeks and the column of her neck. She looked like herself but so much more defined. Her hair, usually a poof or a bun, was haloing her head like a cloud and she wondered how she’d recreate it once the night was over. Smoothing her hands over the raw silk of the dress, she beamed at herself in the mirror before turning to Bolanle.

“Is it okay to hug you, your highness?” Amira held out her arms slightly praying for a yes. The older woman chuckled towards her and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Of course you can. You’re gorgeous, dear. My son won’t know what to do with himself. Come. We have one last detail.”

Amira let herself be seated before the mirror on an intricately carved stool while the mother of the man she loved stood behind her, an indulgent smirk on her face. The slight pressure of a comb pressing into her mass of hair was brief, but when she gazed at herself in the mirror, the teak hair adornment framed one side of her head. Its design was simple, a small cluster of flowers and delicate leaves, but it was beautiful in a way that made Amira’s eyes water a bit.

“I can’t accept this,” Amira whispered as her hand traveled to lightly press her fingertips to the wood.

“You can and will. I’m sure M’Baku will hear nothing of it being returned. In fact, I’m sure he’ll be pleasantly surprised. “

Amira chewed her lip for a moment. “He’s going to be furious, you know?”

“And that matters to me in what manner? That boy is entirely too used to people bending to his will. I imagine he approached you as if he expected you to give in. Am I correct?” There was laughter in the words.

“He did. And here I am,” Amira giggled back.

“In this instance I’m glad he was headstrong. However, whether or not it is his birthday celebration, tonight is not simply for him. He should be reminded that you chose him as well.”

*** 

Amira’s steps slowed as she approached the top of the stairs. She paused, again struck by the beauty of the room, this time with everything in its place. The massive floral arrangements were now lit with tiny lights from within, their glow sources of illumination in the dimly lighted room. Swathes of fine fabrics hung from the rafters creating private corners and places to relax. And a table overflowing with savory finger foods and fresh fruit lined a far wall. 

At the bottom of those stairs, it seemed all of the Jabari and members of the five tribes were dressed in their finest and mingling. Amira felt a spike of inadequacy and fear, but it quickly subsided when she spotted him in the center of the room. Towering above nearly everyone, M’Baku made a dashing figure in the custom tuxedo draped on his frame. The black suit made his skin glow. But when he saw her, that glow was dimmed by the light in his eyes. She watched the slight hesitation in his steps then his confident stride through the crowd and towards the rise of her perch.

He came to a stop beside her, placing a hand lightly on the curve of her waist. She blushed at the undisguised admiration in his gaze. It swept over her, hot and soft at the same time. The hand on her waist tightened and pulled her flush with him.

“You are a sight, Orchid.”

“As are you, wegadi (gardener)? Happy Birthday.”

He smiled at her indulgently. “I’ve finally earned a pet name? A great birthday indeed. Thank you for the well wishes, but we need to discuss why you are out of bed.”

“It is because I wished her to be here,” Bolanle said from behind them. She was buoyant in a golden dress that billowed around her hips and trailed behind her. “Is this a problem? Shall I remand her back to bed, your highness?”

M’Baku reluctantly dropped his hand from Amira’s waist and properly greeted his mother. “That is not what I wish. I am simply concerned for her health, mother.”

“Am I not your doctor? Are you not in robust health?” She waited for him to affirm the truth. “Then you should know I would not place her in any harm’s way. Now, let’s be cordial to your guests.”

Amira felt a jolt when M’Baku returned to her side and wrapped his hand around hers. “Are you ready, Orchid? Your kingdom awaits,” he whispered against the shell of her ear.

Giving his hand a squeeze, she let him lead her carefully down the stairs and into the crowd. Once safely on a level surface, he looped her arm around his forearm and returned to the business of being sociable. Not too long after, Amira could feel his tension rising. She ran her fingers down his bicep and tapped him to get his attention. He leaned down to her height.

“Relax. You are doing an amazing job.” She felt him ease. “Let me know when you are ready to go.”

When he rose, she watched the widening of his eyes and then without warning he was leading her towards one of the fabric enclosed seating areas.

“Where did you get that?” He questioned in awe.

“Get what?”

His hand reached up towards the comb in her hair. “This. Where did you get it?”

“Oh! Your mother. She said you’d be surprised when you saw it. It means something?”

M’Baku chuckled and leaned away from her. He ran a hand down his face. “She gave you that?”

Annoyance crept in. “She did. Is there something wrong with that?”

M’Baku sobered at the bite in her voice. “No! I imagine she didn’t tell you what that is did she?”

Amira shook her head, now thoroughly confused. M’Baku helped her rise from her seat and out of the ballroom. She held the hem of her dress aloft as he guided her into a part of the palace she’d never seen. It dawned on her that she was kind of the girlfriend of the king. Not bad for a woman who sometimes seemed afraid of her own shadow. When they finally halted, the space around them was filled with the faint strains of the music from the ballroom. Artifacts encased in glass and artwork from some of the earliest Jabari history lined the walls. 

“Where are we?” 

“A private museum of sorts. Important pieces of our people’s story kept safe near the royal family. Security is tight around these parts, right?” he stated simply before coming to rest in front of a small pedestal with an airtight dome balanced atop it. Amira recognized the packet of seeds. 

“I’ve seen them my entire life, but never touched them, never heard them rattle around in the paper. You changed that for me.” He met her mouth with a tender kiss. 

“We’ll see what blooms soon,” Amira murmured. 

“I believe we already are,” he countered. “Come.” 

M’Baku led her deeper into the corridor and into a room lined with paintings. He came to a pause in front of one that seem as large as the room.

“This is my parents on their wedding day.”

Amira craned her neck to take in all of the stunningly realistic oil painting. His parents were beautiful. Looking at it, she could see M’Baku was nearly identical to his father only with his mother’s eyes and smile. 

“You look exactly like him.”

“So I’ve been told. I miss him. I know my mother does daily.”

Amira looped an arm around his waist and leaned into him. Even if there was nothing for her to say, she could offer her presence as a comfort. She stared at the painting until realization came slowly. The comb. Her hand shot up to her hair.

“You finally noticed.”

“M’Baku it is not! Tell me this is not the same comb.” 

He laughed and kissed her forehead. “It is, Orchid. The exact one.”

“Oh my god! I have to get this back to her now. Let’s go! Please!”

M’Baku turned to her fully and drew her into his arms. He held her fast. Amira let his warmth cover her and rested her head against his chest. 

“No. I’m quite sure someone will come looking for us soon. And she’s not going to take it. She can be quite stubborn.” 

“Like her son,” Amira ribbed.

“Like my Orchid.”

“Duly noted.” 

M’Baku traced the shape of the flowers and leaves sprouting from the adornment, then trailed a finger down Amira’s cheek. 

“It’s beautiful on you. I can see why she wanted you to wear it.” He had a faraway look in his eyes.

“Why?”

“She knows I love you. Knows you make me happy. And I suppose…” his thumb rub across her bottom lip. “she knows you love me, too.”

“She would be correct.”

“Then say it.” 

“I love you, M’Baku.”

“I love you too, Orchid.” 

Amira couldn’t control the heat rising in her cheeks. She averted her eyes from M’Baku’s. “And to think, I wanted to fight you that first day.” 

“And now you love me,” he nearly sang.


	12. Chapter 12

The heat from M’Baku’s hand at the small of her back was like a drug. It calmed Amira and everything around her felt hazy, like the tail end of the summer nights she’d felt in the Golden City a few times a year. The music from the ballroom was faint, barely audible enough to catch the beat and sway their bodies to the rhythm. She gazed up at the man who had her securely wrapped in his arms and his heart.

She wanted to say something, but thought better of it and returned her head to his chest. His hum vibrated through them both. Amira let out a small cough and his hand set into motion, sweeping up and down her spine until she breathed easily.

“We should get you back into bed soon,” M’Baku mumbled against her hair.

She shook her head furiously. “No. I want to stay with you.”

Her arms locked tighter around his waist. She felt him chuckle. “I want to be here for the lanterns.”

His quiet affirmation was enough for her and she moved her mind back to the music and the feel of his body pressed against hers. This was exactly where she wanted to be. It felt like where she belonged. Amira wanted to smirk at the idea of M’Baku helping her bloom, but it was exactly what he’d done. He’d allowed her to unfurl her petals and splay them in the sun. She loved him for it. 

Amira let the tips of her fingers draw lazy circles on the nape of M’Baku’s neck for a moment before cradling the back of his head. She pulled him towards her to taste his mouth. It seemed the only thing to do in the moment. He let her lead, content to leave his hands spanned across her waist while the rest of him was pressed flush against her. 

She felt emboldened in a way she never had. That boldness made her push him with the weight of her body towards the wall. The taut bounce of his back against it drew a growl from him. 

“Usana?” he questioned as Amira moved back, her finger deftly undoing the button on his suit jacket. She pressed it from his shoulders before answering.

“Yes?” 

“What are you doing, love?” 

Her fingers were at his waistband. “Hmmm? I’m not sure what you’re asking.”

M’Baku’s head titled to study her. She wanted to blush, but it was far too late for that. The quiet pool of fabric around his legs drew his attention from her face. M’Baku’s deliberate movements to relieve himself of the clothing gathered about his feet stilled her just long enough for him to sweep her into his arms and deposit her on a nearby windowsill. The brocade curtains brushed against her bare shoulders and she shivered. His large hands came to rest on both of them, his thumbs stroking her collarbone. She shuddered again at the rough pads against her skin. 

“M’Baku?” she managed to push out through trembling lips. 

“Too late, Orchid. Much too late,” he murmured a fraction of a second before their lips met and melded. The heady sound of their tongues rose and fell in the quietness of the artifacts around them. In the distance, the tinny sound of music faded and grew between Amira’s heartbeat. 

His hands dove into her hair, so deeply and firmly she felt a tingle in her scalp before her attention was drawn to the feel of his teeth against any exposed flesh he could find. He worked languidly to gather the billowing, orange skirt about her thighs. The rustle of raw silk filled even more of the silence around them. Amira’s arms found a home about his neck once again while he found a home between her thighs, parting them and resting a palm against the warmth hidden between them.

“Such a bloom is all for me?” he queried, each word punctuated with a slow pass of his hand. 

Amira gasped and buried her head into his shoulder. 

“I don’t think I will ever tire of the sound of you, Orchid.” 

The thin wisp of lace covering her sex yielded easily to his strength and Amira felt the flutter of the fabric falling down her leg to the floor. Instinct pushed her hips forward, the contact of his fingers making her unfurl against them. 

“Please,” she whimpered. 

“Please what, Orchid? You were quite insistent a moment ago,” he teased. 

Amira pouted and reached between them. She gripped him tightly and freed him from his remaining constraints. “I asked nicely. Please.”

She let out a yelp and a giggle when he secured her around his waist and entered her in a single motion. Amira clenched around him, reveling in the grip of his hands on her ass and his slow thrusts. He reversed their positions and came to rest on the sill. Widening his stance, he sank more deeply into her with an almost feral groan. He kept pace, not slowing nor stopping. Everything around Amira felt slow and golden at the edges. She clung to him and allowed her body to move of its own volition and his command. M’Baku kept her close, grinding her body into his lap as if he was afraid she’d vanish. His mouth was everywhere. The pulse thudding in the sweep of her neck. The tender spot just behind her ear. The rising hills of her breasts peeking above the bright fabric of her gown. 

He found the softness of her hair again, tunneling into it to bring her to his mouth for a kiss. Amira moaned into it, her body threatening to break apart with each plunge of his tongue. Somehow, he synced the rhythm of both his kiss and his hips, pulling her to the edge of orgasm with his eyes now locked onto hers. She felt loved and desired and wanted in ways she never had. The world turned to a kaleidoscope as Amira felt M’Baku’s passion reach a fever pitch. He stroked into her as quietly as the colliding of their bodies and remaining clothing would allow. They were listening to each other, lost in the sounds only they could illicit from one another until the world spilled open between them. 

 

****  
M’Baku’s fingers replaced the comb softly, making their way from her coils to her cheek. “There. You look just as beautiful.” His voice was full of pride at his handiwork.

“Beautiful, but very different. I’m sure your mother will notice,” Amira fretted and looked down at her hands.

“And you think she will think less of you? I’m sure she and my father snuck off from a ball or two in their day. I’m also quite sure her hair never looked the same when they returned.”

He lifted her chin with his forefinger. Humor danced across her face. “Now, I’m not sure we will be able to hide that bruise on your neck….”

“Bak!” Amira’s eyes widened. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

He laughed brightly and kissed her. “I am. I’m passionate, not crazy. I’d never embarrass you like that…yet.”

Amira swatted his arm. “You’re ridiculous! We have to go,” she nearly squealed as she pointed towards a large window. Below, spread out across the courtyard, was the party they’d abandoned in all its glory.   
***

Heat and the clench of her stomach sent Amira reeling as soon as she and M’Baku reentered the ballroom. Bolanle’s gaze was sweeping the room and when it landed on the two of them at the top of the stairs, her smirk was knowing. Amira could make out the vibration of her laughter from across the room. She groaned without realizing it. She felt suddenly exposed and drew into herself. Amira felt as if every single eye in the room was on the two of them and it had nothing to do with the fact she was on the arm of the king. They knew. They all knew why her skin was still heated and why she felt a little weak in the knees.

Please don’t let anyone say anything. Hanuman please, Amira chanted inwardly. She felt M’Baku squeeze her hand. He leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“It’s okay, Orchid. You have the best warrior in all the land defending your honor.” There was both humor and strength in his statement. She was grateful for them both. He wrapped her hand into the crook of his elbow and guided her down the stairs. His mother was waiting when they reached the bottom.

“I’m glad you could rejoin us. We’ll be setting the lanterns free shortly.” She reached out and straightened M’Baku’s tie. “Your father never thought to adjust his either.”

Bolanle threw Amira a sympathetic glance and took her hand from her son’s. Amira shrank as they strolled away from a gaping M’Baku who was quickly swallowed into a crowd of well-wishers.  
“Hold your head high, dear. His father was the exact same way in more ways than one. Loving, but insatiable when it comes to the object of his desire. Besides, I’m quite sure there are many in this room who would be much more brazen than you.”

“Your highness…” Amira started before the raise of the Queen Mother’s brow stopped her. “Bolanle. I apologize. When he saw the comb, he pulled me away and then one thing led to another.”

The smile on Bolanle’s face was indulgent. “So, he noticed, eh? He’s a lot quicker than his father. When I wore the comb it took him ages to catch on.”

“Catch on? I’m confused.” Amira paused her steps alongside the older woman. They were standing on a balcony overlooking the plains, an expanse of snow and darkness on the horizon. 

“That his mother thought I was the perfect match for him. She passed the comb down to me. So it has been for generations. Fortunately for us, the comb tends to land exactly where it should and the men’s hearts follow.”

Amira paced her breath. “But you barely know me.”

Bolanle tutted. “But I know my son and I know the women who have tried.” She cast her eyes towards the comb. “That is exactly where it should be. My son has bloomed with you. Even in those moments I saw him frustrated at your hesitation, he never wavered in knowing he wanted to love you.”

The heat was back in her face.

“To most my son is stone with an occasional crack of laughter. But beneath that he is soft and yearning to be loved. You, his Orchid, do that very well even if you have yet to recognize it. Now, this life can be quite overwhelming. I know that very well, but in exchange? You get the heart of a man who would break open the sky for you.”

Amira tripped over her words. “I don’t know what to say. I do love him. I want his happiness more than you know. But I’m just me. A regular old person.”

“And he isn’t? Title does not make the man, love. He was born into this station, but who he is? That radiates from within. Without the grandeur of this…” she swept her hand absently around them. “he would still be loyal and kind and generous. This only amplifies those traits because of the wealth and power that comes along for the ride.”

Amira nodded in understanding.

“You, my still growing flower, are just as kind and generous as my son. It may manifest in other ways, but it courses through you. The two of you match so very well. His hard exterior and gentle interior and your quiet nature with steel at the core? I couldn’t have done better had I matched you myself.”

Her laughter pealed out across the balcony and echoed back to them. Amira joined her hesitantly at first and then let her nervousness out in a deep belly laugh that made her feel lighter than she had in a while.

“Sink into it, Amira. Let him love you and do the same. It’s a marvelous freedom I don’t think you’ve ever allowed yourself. “

Amira contemplated for a moment. She hadn’t. A lifetime of wishing for this exact fairytale was directly in front of her and she was afraid to touch it, let alone embrace it. Bolanle grasped her hand again.

“Now, let us enjoy this last moment of your freedom. I’m sure my son will banish you to bed again soon enough. “

Amira spied M’Baku in the center of the room. While those around him talked and smiled, his eyes were locked onto her moving towards him. He smiled when she paused in front of him.

“The lanterns are ready. We’ll release a few and then…”

“Off to bed,” she finished for him. This time she felt no resentment. He cared and she’d let him if it made him happy.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart by Alicia Keys, Patterns by Atsu, Ghost by Astu, and Paperheart by Astu
> 
> A/N: Y’all requested a time jump so here it is! Also? Angst

“Is there something you wish to tell me, Orchid?” M’Baku asked from the doorway.

She could hear the stark concern and wealth of annoyance in his words. Amira pressed her eyes closed briefly before she lifted her head. What could she tell him this time? Bad food? Exhaustion? A lingering side effect of her lung infection? All excuses she’d used before.

Three months. Three months of nausea, fatigue, and aches. Three months since M’Baku’s birthday ball. Life had moved along quickly after that night. Once the Jabari, and the rest of Wakanda, had gotten wind that the Great Gorilla was now taken Amira’s life had been partially out of her control.

M’Baku, in his infinite desire to keep his Orchid safe, requested sternly she have her own security detail. He’d even gone as far as to firmly suggest she move into the palace so he could ensure her safety. Amira had flat out refused. For as much as she loved M’Baku, a love that was growing by the day, she was still her own person. She wanted to be able to be free in her own space. There were mornings she wanted to lounge in bed with her laptop and a string of documentaries. Other times she wanted to sleep in the dead center of bed with nothing touching her. Amira liked staying silent sometimes. She didn’t want to be forced to conversation to avoid being rude. Her concession, after a tense lunch date, had been a security system and a promise to be aware of her surroundings at all times.

Amira groaned. Her knees ached from being crouched in front of the commode most of the morning. The day before hadn’t been much different. There was only so long she could hold off M’Baku. He’d been understanding over the last few weeks when she’d cancelled or rescheduled a number of dates. At first, he was accepting. Now he was angry.

Amira wanted to scream. She had only needed one more moment to compose herself and exit the bathroom back into their lounge day, but that moment was gone now. She moved to press to standing by using the bathtub as leverage, but before she could get a good grip she gave up. Tears, salty and warm, broke free. In one swift motion, M’Baku was on the floor next to her, culling her into his lap. For the first time in weeks, Amira let herself rest against him and allowed the steady thump of his heart to soothe her before she dared to speak. One long arm reached towards the sink’s edge and wiped the corner of her mouth with the washcloth he found there before M’Baku lifted her head fully to force their gazes to collide.

“Be honest with me.”

“I’m okay, Baku. It’s just…”

He grunted. “You’re sick. Or is it something you ate? Maybe you haven’t been sleeping well? You’re running out of ways to lie to me.”

Amira knew she was, but his tone pushed up her defenses. How could she tell him that he was going to be a father? That since the night of his birthday a seed had been growing inside her? Sure, he wanted her on his arm, had even confessed his love for her and wanted her in his life, but a child? He’d never expressed a desire to be a father and with her? A woman who was still struggling with the idea she was now in the public eye and that the king of her tribe was showing even a passing interest in her? The mother of M’Baku’s children should be dynamic and bold, not a barely bloomed flower who needed what seemed like constant care.

“Meet Orchid, Jr.” Amira tried to joke while sweeping her hand towards her belly. “Just about three months along.”

She knew he was in shock by the sudden tense in his spirit and frame. Amira directed her gaze at her hands when he didn’t respond. “I know it wasn’t planned. I’m afraid.”

Still no response. “Please…say something.”

Silence bloomed. Amira watched M’Baku watching her. His eyes moved from her face to her belly and back again several times. She saw the twitch of his fingers. Hope told her he was reaching for her, but the flex of his forearm keeping his body steady let her know that wasn’t true. Something sagged in her heavily. Maybe it was her spirit or her heart. Whatever it was? It was no longer whole. Amira felt the briefest of pressure of M’Baku tightening his arms around her before he placed her back onto the floor beside him and rose easily to his feet. His fingers twitched again, his eyes softened then hardened before he made his exit.

M’Baku leaving the room took all the air with him. Amira was prone, stuck in the space between the tub and the commode. She couldn’t feel the coolness of the tiles sinking through the thin material of her t-shirt or those patterned on the floor seeping their coldness into her pajama pants. Everything in her wanted to cry. Her body wanted to wail and kick and scream and shatter, but her mind was numb.

***

Amira pressed her fingers deeply into the rich earth on the planting table. They sank into the cool soil, the grit against her skin making her feel some measure of alive. The small burst of feeling was the most she’d felt in a week. It had been nearly two months since she’d had her last sighting of M’Baku lingering with his men outside of the central greenhouse. Two months since he’d kept up with his cruel silence. Her feelings ebbed and flowed depending on which way the wind blew.

Amira found it amusing how life found a way of repeating itself. There she’d been, her belly struggling not to be seen beneath the baggy sweatshirt, curled into her favorite corner. Spending too much time in her personal greenhouse was too painful. Each time she set foot into it, whether it be to tend to the plants or to wallow in her memories, one very large distraction always loomed. That distraction had been trudging through the storm outside her hiding spot with a cadre of men on his heels. Even at a distance, Amira could make out the scowl painted across his face. His jaw was tight and her stupid heart had wanted to reach out to him and make sure he was okay. But her very logical mind reminded her that he didn’t care. Since M’Baku had left her sprawled on the bathroom floor he hadn’t said a word. She needn’t worry about how he was feeling.

She bedded the seeds deeply before withdrawing to sit heavily on the stool next to the table. Dusting her hands across the apron she wore, Amira massaged her belly. Her hands still easily spanned the growing bump.

“It’s just me and you for real, huh Sprout?”

Whatever happened, Amira knew she and Sprout would be just fine. She would make sure of that with or without the father. She knew it would be a struggle and she knew it may take growing a thick skin to block out the whispers and gossip, but she’d do it. Her child would be well rounded and loved. Amira hummed to herself, moving through the greenhouse watering plants and plucking dead bits. The space was alive with flourishing leaves and blooming buds. It was beautiful, but it was muted. She’d believed. Amira had believed that if she opened her heart to M’Baku and trusted him, life would find a way of working it out. She flashed back to the night in the restaurant, how M’Baku had held her to his body after she’d been stood up. How it felt to know he saw her if no one else did. She felt the beginnings of tears and straightened her back. She would not cry again. Not for this man or any other.

The melody she murmured, one which Amira’s own mother had hummed to her, turned melancholy. She was confident she would make sure Sprout had every advantage in the world, but the smallest things started to weigh heavy on her mind. She felt robbed of sharing the baby’s first heartbeat with M’Baku. Or having him trudge with her to the kitchen for late night snacks. Or having him rub the aches out of her calves and feet. The book of names on her nightstand was marked with only her favorites and all the fears of a new parent were on her shoulders alone. Amira wanted to be loved and doted on while their child grew ready for the world. M’Baku had taken that from her.

The quiet creak of the greenhouse door opening pulled Amira from her funk. Her eyes swung up to find the source of her pain filling the doorway, a thick wool coat draped across his body. He stamped his boots to break up the snow and paused.

“Is it okay I come in?” He sounded sheepish and genuinely concerned she would decline. “This is your space and I want to make sure I’m welcome.”

“You built it. Do what you want,” Amira snapped.

“Do you want me here?” His hat slid into his hands and he twisted the fabric nervously.

Amira swept her hands towards the other side of the room. At bare minimum, it would be interesting to hear what kind of excuse he’d use. She heard the stool accepting his weight then the tap of his foot against the wooden floor.

“I apologize, Amira.”

His use of her name caught her attention and she peeked at him. He wasn’t even looking at her. Instead his eyes were locked on the floor between his boots. It was the first time Amira had ever seen him cowed or broken in any way. It pulled at her heartstrings, but she held her words behind her teeth. She was cowed and broken, too. And he’d done it. An eternity of silence passed between them before M’Baku rose from the stool and approached.

“You understand it killed me to stay away from the two of you? I missed you every day, Orchid.” He palmed her belly before sinking to his knees before her to kiss it. “This child, and the woman who nurtures it, mean everything under the sun to me.”

Amira sniffled. “You left me, M’Baku. By myself terrified and alone.”

His head hung low. “I know. It was for the best, but I can’t imagine how it felt. If it takes me a lifetime I’ll make it up to you, love.”

A bit of light returned to his eyes. “Do you know how it difficult it was to keep my mother from you? I kept her busy designing the nursery.”

Amira wanted to smile, but she was angry and she was tired. She let her fingers flutter against the back of his head and felt him sink into her touch. The burst of air he released in relief brushed against her skin.

“Why?” The word was like an anchor between them.

The steady sweep of his hand against her belly was comforting, but it also a reminder of just how long he’d left her alone.

“It wasn’t safe. I wasn’t asking for you to get security on a whim. Credible threats had been made against you. I wanted them eradicated.”

Amira shuddered.

“When you told me? All I wanted to do was give you the world. I wanted to kiss every inch of you and let you know just how much I appreciate the gift you are giving me. But then I remembered and I panicked.”

Amira listened to his retelling of the security concerns and threats, how someone wanted her as far away from him as possible. There was something in M’Baku’s voice that made Amira want to listen. It wasn’t just the fear. It was the mixture of desperation and need that did it. Her anger, and her own fear, made her pull him to his feet and draw her arms about his waist. Again, he sank into her and Amira felt warmth radiate between them.

“Each decision I made was to keep you safe. You have to believe me. I would never willingly leave when it took so much effort to get you.”

He pulled back slightly to look down at her, his knuckles making a small trek from her cheek to her collarbone. M’Baku lingered as if he was in awe.

“What happened to communication? Why wouldn’t you tell me something like that?” Amira questioned.

He sighed heavily. “I don’t know. It was like flight or fight. I wanted to fight, but with you safely in the background.”

“And leaving me alone was the safest thing to do?”

Amira didn’t expect an answer. She wanted him to see the foolishness of his actions. She knew he had when he nodded and broke the contact of their eyes.

“Look at me. I am angry. And I will be for quite some time. You broke something precious and I don’t want to fix it right now.”

He moved to speak, his eyes widening.

“This is your child, too. I would never deny you access to him or her. However we need to work out appointments and visits until Sprout is born? We’ll figure it out.”

“Orchid…”

“No. You made a decision to leave me in the dark about my safety and the safety of our child. You left me alone thinking I was disposable, some kind of toy you got tired of playing with. That is not an easy fix. I’m not sure there is one.”


	14. Chapter 14

The first message came at the breaking of dawn a week later. A simple good morning with tidings of a good day. And they’d continued each morning since. Always between when the sun first crested in the sky and when he was sitting down for his morning meal. And each evening came his wish for peaceful sleep and a better morning for she and Sprout.

Amira hadn’t responded for the first week. Then guilt got the best of her and she sent simple thanks at each message. For whatever she may have been feeling, M’Baku was the father of her child and deserved some measure of respect and care. But now, a month later, each time her eyes opened her fingers crept into the dimness of her room searching for her phone. And those orchids, the twins M’Baku had placed on the bedside table so long ago, would greet her as well. They were buttressed against each other, their petals touching slightly in a kiss.

Good Morning, Orchid. I hope this message finds you well rested and Sprout healthy and strong

Amira smiled at her phone and immediately bit her lip to stop it. He was creeping back into her heart slowly but surely. She let her fingers hover over the message for several seconds, dissecting the words for any hidden meanings her longing for him had clouded over. She tapped out a reply and hesitated before sending it into the ether.

_Good morning. We’re doing well. And you?_

There was the ellipsis of reply.

_Hanuman awoke me so all is right in the world._

Amira watched the dots blinking then stopping. He’d wanted to say something but thought better of it.

_I have a doctor’s appointment this morning. Would you like to join me?_

Amira felt her heart clench at the message. She’d wanted to invite M’Baku to her appointments for the longest, but each time she’d let anger get the best of her. But at the last visit, one that saw her sitting alone while the technician reviewed her chart, she relented. She needed the support and if it came from the man she loved with shades of disappointment? So be it.   
***  
“It sounds like a drumbeat.”

The wonder in M’Baku’s voice warmed Amira’s heart more than she cared to admit. He was tightly gripping her hand, his body craned towards the monitor showing the syncopation of their child’s heartbeat. His large thumb was stroking the inside of her wrist even if his attention was elsewhere. It was soothing, anchoring her to Earth. More than anything, Amira wanted float away. In that very moment, she was allowing herself to be blissful and enjoy the first small bit of normalcy she’d had in several months.

“Is everything okay?” 

It was only at the end of his question that M’Baku let his eyes leave the screen and focus on the doctor sitting on the opposite side of Amira’s prone body. His nervousness bounded over the rise of her belly. His grip on her hand tightened. Amira squeezed back to calm him.

“Everything is perfectly fine. Sprout, your highness, is a strong one,” she answered as she clicked a series of keys and set a printer into motion. “Amira doesn’t want to know the sex of the baby, however. She wants the little one to be a surprise.”

Surprise wasn’t the only part of it. Amira simply didn’t care. Whether she was gifted with a son or a daughter, her child would have a rich connection to his or her homeland, father, and the world at large. Admittedly, she had gone a little overboard already with research and best practices, but she wanted the world for Sprout.

Amira chuckled. “It doesn’t matter,” she responded as she accepted a cloth to wipe the jelly from her stomach. She sat up gingerly with M’Baku’s help. They locked eyes briefly as he pulled the soft cotton of her shirt over her stomach and let his hand rest there for a moment.

“I agree. This child is a gift.” The wonder was back in his voice.

Amira swung her legs over the exam table, stretching her arms high above her head for a moment.

“Now, the only thing I’m a bit concerned about is your weight gain. It’s a little slow. Nothing that’s impacting the baby at the moment, but I’d like to see that pick up a bit by your next visit, okay?”

Amira nodded. “I know. I’m working on it. I’d had a bit of stress and wasn’t really taking care of myself very well.”

She felt the heaviness of M’Baku’s guilt settle in the room. He looked down at the hardwood floors and shifted before bringing his gaze up to the doctor’s.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Make sure she eats properly. Gets rest and is as stress free as possible.”

He nodded tightly as he reached for Amira’s hand. “She’ll get the best care I can give.”

Amira couldn’t hold back the warmth blossoming in her chest even if she was angry with herself for feeling anything. 

***

Out in the brightness of a Jabari morning, Amira paused briefly to stare down at the sonogram in her hand. She had a small collection of them matted and framed in the space she’d begun carving out for Sprout in her home. A kick settled into her heart when she realized M’Baku had no tangible reminders of their child. She had the fluttering movements as she tried to sleep. The late night whispering she did when slumber wouldn’t find her. And even in the sickness and swelling, she’d take every single memory.

“You should have this,” she muttered while pressing the paper into his hand. “I have so many already.”

“I’m sorry.”

“If we are going to do this co-parenting thing?” She gestured between the two of them. “Then you can’t apologize at every turn, M’Baku. I heard you the first time and I’m working on accepting that.”

They strolled up a winding path, their shoulders and hips occasionally brushing as snow and ice made the passage narrow and widen at will. It was quiet in a comfortable way for a spell. M’Baku was lost in whatever was rolling around in his head and Amira was mimicking the same action. Amira accepted the palm at the small of her back when the terrain became slick and for the briefest of moments even tucked her arm into the crook of his to make it across a snow drift.

“You haven’t been taking care of yourself the doctor said?” It was a question and a statement.

“That is not what she said. I just need to do a little bit better job.”

M’Baku paused. His annoyance was crystal clear, but Amira wasn’t sure if it was directed to himself or her. He rubbed a large hand across his face. When it fell back to his side, his expression had softened.

“Will you let me take care of you? Of Sprout?”

Amira opened her mouth to protest and he caught the challenge creeping into her eyes.

“I’m not saying you can’t do it yourself. I want to and I should. Please?”

He moved them out of the way of a group meandering up the path, bringing them to a stop at the edge of a bluff.

“What do you want from me, M’Baku?”

“You mean what I’m willing to accept for now?”

Amira let out a sigh and gestured for him to continue.

“I want to be at your appointments. I want to spend time with you so I can see the changes you’re going through. I want you to let me in again.”

“I don’t know if that’s possible.” 

“But can you try?”

Amira set her jaw and looked out into the distance. “I don’t know. Maybe in time.”

“Fair enough.” He sounded sad. “My mother wishes to see you if you’re up to it.”

At the mention of Bolanle, Amira felt a spark of happiness. She and M’Baku were rapidly approaching where they’d parked their cars, both covered in a light dusting of snow and ice crystals.

“I mentioned that I would be seeing you today and it was like the sun had gotten brighter for her. She’s missed you.”

“And I’ve missed her.”

She had. Over the months she and M’Baku had shared since his birthday ball, she and the Queen Mother had forged a friendship built on respect and poking fun at a sometimes very annoyed giant. Amira couldn’t measure just how much she’d learned about her tribe and how to navigate through life from the older woman. She’d missed those afternoons she snuck away from M’Baku to poke her head into his mother’s study. He’d find them there hours later full of laughter and secrets he always tried his best to weasel out of her. It never worked.

“It would make her day if you’d stop in. Maybe see the nursery?”

***  
Hugging Bolanle was like sinking into a warm bath. Amira melted into the older woman’s arms with a sigh. She’d missed the warmth that radiated from M’Baku’s mother. Amira let herself be rocked side to side for a moment and reveled in the vibration of Bolanle’s chuckle.

“Dear heart, I’ve missed you so much! And this?”

Her hand settled in the same spot her son’s had several times on the journey to the family compound.

“This little one here is a blessing. Come. You need to be off your feet.”

Amira accepted her hand and let herself be guided to an overstuffed set of chairs set before a window showing the vastness of the Jabari empire. She took in the beauty of it for a long moment before turning and colliding directly into the indulgent stare of Bolanle.

“You’ll have to forgive me if I stare. I am overjoyed for this child and the fact you are back where you belong.”

Amira bristled. “But I’m not. Whatever we have to do to make sure we are great parents we will. There is no us, however.”

“My son made a massive mistake and I will not excuse that. Nor will I pressure you into something in which your heart is not fully invested. Just know he loves you and the tiny one you are carrying more than he can express.”

Amira accepted a steaming mug of tea and took a tentative sip. It tasted of honey and berries. 

“Helps with appetite. You look thin. Let me tell you a story while we wait for my son to return. When he was a child I could never quite figure out why M’Baku always had a scattering of bruises on his shoulders and chest. At first, I thought it was because he is rough as all Jabari are, that he’d gotten them while rolling and jumping like the wild thing he was. It wasn’t until I stumbled across him, back against the heavy trunk in my bedroom, pushing with all his might that I learned just what had been going on. Each evening there was always a fresh bloom on my dressing table. That boy pushed that trunk with his back to get high enough to reach it and pushed it with his chest to return it to position. I always thought those gifts came from his father. Instead, it was the light of my life trying to make my day a little brighter.”

Bolanle swiped at her cheek while Amira sniffled. “That, my dear, is the man who loves you. Make him work, but let him redeem himself.”  
****

 

The hand on the small of her back was seemingly the only thing keeping Amira standing. Somewhere behind her, she heard Bolanle telling her son that this moment was for them before the door closed quietly.

Amira moved away from the warmth against her skin and stepped deeper into the room. The huge windows set the space awash with light, golden and glowing. With each step, Amira felt her feet sink into the plush carpet. It was grey, so thick and inviting that she wanted to kick off her shoes, plunge her toes into the nap, and wiggle her toes. The walls, a soft white dotted with tiny golden crowns, was Bolane’s doing. Amira could feel it in her heart. It was all gorgeous.

Against one of those walls, flanked by two windows, was a crib that astounded her.

“You made this, didn’t you?” she asked without turning towards the man whose presence she could feel radiating behind her.

“My hands were restless without you.”

Amira approached the delicately made bed with wonder. Her fingers glided along the sanded wood and its tiny details. Crowns, weapons, books, hearts, and a bevy of other items were hand carved into the rising headpiece of the bed. Amira gripped the edge with tears in her eyes. She didn’t want to feel what she was feeling, didn’t want to throw herself into his arms and kiss him for his thoughtfulness and care. M’Baku took a place beside her. His hand curled over one of hers. She didn’t pull away from the contact.

“Each is a representation of what I wish for our child. Love, strength, intelligence, culture, patience, honor, and more.”

Amira let the first of her tears fall and before she knew it, she was pressed into M’Baku’s chest soaking his shirt. His hand swept up her spine.

“Why are you so good?” Amira sputtered out in frustration. 

M’Baku chuckled. “Because I love you?” 

She couldn’t stifle her own laughter in return. “I’m angry at you. Stop it.”

“I know you are, sweetheart. But I can’t stop.”

“I want to hate you for leaving me alone.” 

He hummed acknowledgement.

“I can’t, though. I’m afraid to trust you.”

“Then we start over? You let me prove myself?”

“Don’t break my heart again, ‘Bak. There won’t be another chance.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: A Sunday Kind of Love by Etta James and Spend My Life with You by Tamia and Eric Benet  
> A/N: Time jump as the series is wrapping up soon.

Sometimes love requires the smallest things to grow. For Amira, it was the rumble of M’Baku’s voice in her ear as she drifted off to sleep. She’d come to rely on the nightly video calls, ones that started after she’d emerged from a warm shower and settled down with Bolanle’s nausea tea. It had started innocently. M’Baku had wanted to see the swell of her belly one evening and she’d obliged. Since then, it had become a way for them to check in at a distance, giving M’Baku the connection he needed and Amira the space she was still working through. It had been three months of hard work, dates, conversations, and learning to trust again. Just as Sprout was waiting to burst forth into the world, Amira’s heart was doing the same. 

She had perfected the art of balancing her phone on the nightstand just close enough to avoid jostling it when she shifted to get comfortable and cutting off any portion of her face. M’Baku had insisted on the latter because as he put it, “I want to see the mother of my child in all her glory.” 

Amira snuggled more deeply into the covers and gave the camera a lazy smile. M’Baku returned one of his own and her heart tugged. She could imagine the way he smelled, how the soft fabric of his shirt would feel against her skin if she were there with her cheek pressed to his chest. She sighed and averted her eyes. 

“What troubles you, my love?” His tone darkened and the slip of smile fell from his lips. 

“Nothing. Just wondering…” Amira debated being honest. “…what it would feel like for you to be here now.” 

She knew her voice had trailed off, but something in her made her afraid to admit her desire for him. Somewhere deep in her gut it made her feel weak and she didn’t like that. 

“There is an easy way to find out, you know.” 

“It’s late.”

“And I’m a big boy. I’ll be there in thirty minutes, okay?”

“With ice cream and a hoodie?” 

“With ice cream and a hoodie.”  
***

“How are my loves?”

M’Baku’s frame filled the doorway in a way that comforted Amira. She’d been restless in the short time he’d traveled from his place to hers. She’d fidgeted as she fretted about her decision for him to come over. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t stayed a handful of times as they tried to repair the damage that had been done, but each time she’d retreated afraid and unsure if it was okay to let everything she felt for him free once more. But it was getting harder and harder to contain it. Those nights he’d banded her to his body, she’d often lay awake syncing her breathing to his and trying to store away the feelings for those times she was lonely.

“We’re doing okay. What about you?”

Amira lingered at the door, let the chill of the night settle on her legs peeking out from beneath one of M’Baku’s shirts Her growing belly seemed to like his clothing better and he’d happily obliged by bringing her a box of shirts. They smelled like him and the scent helped Amira sleep. She melted into M’Baku’s touch as he stepped forward over the threshold. He pulled her into a bear hug as much as her body would allow and pressed chilly lips to her forehead.

“Better now. Let’s get you back into bed. “

He scooped her up easily and stalked towards her bedroom. In the dimmed light, Amira could make out the silhouette of three orchids balanced on the bedside table. A week ago, a courier had appeared with a tiny white bloom and instructions from M’Baku to make sure she kept it near the others until the next time he saw her.

“I see my gift found its way to you,” he said as he deposited her among the heavy covers on the bed.

“It’s beautiful. How you have such a green thumb I’ll never know.” 

He chuckled deeply. “I’m a sensitive man, love. Things tend to sprout when you take your time.” 

He pointed to her stomach and wiggled his eyebrows. 

“I hate you.” 

He crawled towards her. “You love me.” Strong fingers gripped her chin.

“I love you,” she relented. 

M’Baku held her face for a lingering moment. 

“I’ll be right back. You want ice cream?”

Amira scowled. “Whatever.”   
She was angry, felt exposed in a way she’d been trying to protect herself from. She couldn’t count how many times they’d exchanged words of love. This, however, was the first time he hadn’t said it back. She scrubbed a palm over her eyes to stop a spate of tears from breaking through. 

“Stupid hormones,” she tried to convince herself. “I’m tired and fat and this asshole…” Her eyes opened with the slight dipping of the mattress. Her words caught in her throat. 

Amira felt as if her vision was blurring. She knew it was from tears, but also from the waning light bouncing off a ring perched in a beautifully carved box. A ring that was being held by a very amused man who refused to move his eyes from her face. Amira few pulled in a few shaky breaths. M’Baku was barely balanced on the bed. 

“I had imagined some grand gesture to ask you, but in this moment I have never seen you glow as brightly. I am hopelessly in love with you, Orchid. I want to spend the rest of my life, and all of those beyond it, with you. Will you marry me?”

Amira faltered and let her eyes flutter close. Doubt, and its twin fear, crashed down around her. A pregnant bride. A single pregnant bride. Not of royal blood. They’d hate her.

“What will everyone say?”

“That is not what I asked you and it does not matter,” he reassured her. He scooted closer, shifting his body deeper onto the bed.

“I…need a moment.” Amira found herself barely able to form words. Sprout kicked and she palmed her belly to calm the both of them. “Just a moment.”

M’Baku gave a small smile. Amira was grateful for the understanding in his eyes. “Here, I brought you this, too.”

He chuckled as he placed the box on the nightstand and produced a pint of her favorite ice cream wrapped in a knitted koozie. 

“No pressure, okay? I know we’re still working on us, but I want you in my life.”

“And what of tradition?” 

She watched him ponder over a bite of ice cream. 

“What is tradition in the face of love?” he quipped as he scooped another spoonful of sweetness and hovered it near Amira’s lips. “Tradition, at some point, was just a new way of doing things that took root.”

Amira took in the frosted utensil and let the coldness sink into her tongue, the taste of chocolate washing over her taste buds. She hummed indulgently as M’Baku pulled away the spoon and studied the pint in his hand. He’d turned from confident to bashful in the blink of an eye. Amira let her gaze sweep over him. She took in the way the blued light of night was carving against his cheekbones and the planes and peaks of his face. Admired the stretch of the t-shirt over his arms and chest and the surprisingly deft fingers that balanced the silver scoop.

“Will you answer me now?”

Amira shifted and felt Sprout do the same. “I…”

“No thinking, Orchid. What do you want? What do you feel?”

She knew what she felt, knew what she wanted. Amira wanted M’Baku. She wanted the family that was still forming. She wanted every bit of tradition and newness with him. And she wanted to stand beside him for the rest of her journey in this life and the next.

“Yes.” Just as he had dipped his head, she dipped hers. She could feel him studying her and she flushed. Amira toyed with the edge of the comforter, slipping her fingers over the heavy seam until it calmed her the tiniest bit.

“Yes?” There was joy in his voice.

She met his eyes, willing her confidence to return. “Yes.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recommended Listening: Craters by Chantae Cann and PJ Morton  
> A/N: Siyanda means we are growing

“I am not getting married while I’m big as a house!” Amira muttered over her shoulder as she chopped a pile of vegetables on the board in front of her.

She tossed a handful of them into a pan already sizzling with oil, garlic, and onions. The small kitchen of the greenhouse smelled heavenly, the scents wafting through the air and bringing M’Baku drifting from his perch at one of the soil tables to stand by her side.

He’d been digging in the dirt around the fledgling blooms from his parents’ seeds. They were struggling, but they were trying. Just like the two of them. M’Baku dropped a kiss to Amira’s exposed neck and bent over the sink to clean the rich earth from his hands. When he was done, he leaned against the deep, farm-style sink and studied her.

“You aren’t as big as a house,” he started calmly. “You are growing a Jabari warrior in there. We tend to be big. You know that.”

He reached out to palm her belly with a slight squeeze. “Besides, you look amazing. Glowing even.”

“I look like a whale, ‘Baku. A fat nosed whale.” Amira flexed her swollen fingers around the knife’s handle before placing it beside the cutting board. She swatted away a few tears.

M’Baku reached for her wrists, but she shied away. He tutted at her. “Come here.”

She waddled into the opening of his body and rested her head on his chest. Amira sniffled a few times.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? Being emotional?”

“For acting like a child. It’s vain, I know, but I don’t want to end up looking back at our photos and seeing myself looking like some sort of distorted version of myself.”

M’Baku hummed his understanding. “Then we’ll wait. I’m sure my mother will love that. More time to plan. It’s a deal?”

“Deal. Let me get our little one out into the world and the nation can have us in all our finery.”

M’Baku knew she was nervous about the eyes of everyone in the tribe resting on her, had been terrified when she started making official visits with him and on her own with heavy security. The people had embraced her, but still the nerves remained. It had taken him weeks of convincing to get her to agree to a celebration of their child among the great hall of the central village. The night had been beautiful and she was grateful he’d forced the issue. 

“How about we eat dinner and then I give you a foot massage since you don’t listen.” 

His voice was gruff. Amira knew he was a bit upset she’d insisted on refusing his help. She didn’t want to be an invalid. It was bad enough she felt ugly. 

M’Baku’s glance fell the to the slim phone on the counter, the name of his most trusted advisor flashed across the screen.

“Take it. I’ll plate dinner.”

Amira let herself be pressed to his warmth for a moment before he stepped away to take the call. While she was still upset that she felt like some sort of beached sea creature, M’Baku was right. She was growing a child. One that would for sure be very large and strong willed. Sprout was testing the limits of how her body grew, moved, and stretched. Each night as she waited to drift into slumber, she eased balm into her skin until she glowed. She’d lose herself in the smell of lavender, and sometimes M’Baku’s touch, and say quiet prayers for rest and respite from the aches and pains.

She could recall clearly the first time she truly noticed the stretch of her skin and the stripes M’Baku had named her vines. Amira had thought him ridiculous and had even scoffed, but that’s what they were. Something beautiful that was helping her house the thing the both of them loved more than anything in the world.

“You have to go.” Amira could tell from the look on his face as he returned to the kitchen area. She pressed a hand to her side and grimaced. 

“What troubles you? Nothing is as important as the two of you.” 

“Heartburn. I’ve been snacking,” she said sheepishly. “Go. I’ll be here when you return. I have some reading to do.”

“More baby names?” 

“Nope. I already have my choices for a boy and a girl.” 

“And you aren’t going to tell me what they are, right?”

“You would be correct. They’re surprises.”

“A few more weeks, Orchid. And then our lives change.” 

****

Amira’s knees buckled and her grip on the table increased until she could feel the edge imprinting into her skin. She gritted her teeth, trying to stifle the scream that wanted to rip from her chest. Pushing out shaky breath after shaky breath, she did her best to make her way to the nook, wanting the comfort of the soft fabrics and overstuffed furniture.

“Please don’t do this, Sprout. Mommy’s begging you,” she moaned out. Another contraction was her answer. “Of course you’d wait for your father to leave to do this!”

Amira used the soil tables and any flat surfaces she could to make her way across the open space. Along the way she pulled a clean tarp from a shelf, a pair of shears, and her phone against her body. Whatever she managed to scrape together would have to do.

She dialed M’Baku quickly and had only to wait until the second ring. 

“Yes, sweetheart?”

Amira tried to speak, but it came out a pained grunt. “Contractions…come…”

His shout barely registered as she fought though what felt like her lower half being pulled to the heavens and hells above and below her. She made it as far as the center of the room before the pain brought her to the floor. She could make out the rustle of M’Baku moving and clips of him telling people the Jabari’s newest heir was on the way.

“Stop fucking talking and get here!” 

She’d apologize later, but for now she was alone and afraid and in more pain than she ever expected. She screamed out and bore down against the lightening shooting through her body. Her vision blurred for a moment and she could feel her nails digging into her thigh. 

“Please just hold on, Orchid. I’m on my way.”

Amira had expected him to shout again, to sound full of excitement, but instead he sounded afraid and unsure.

“Stay on the phone with me,” she pleaded as another contraction rocked her. “They’re close, Baku. I can’t do this alone.” 

She felt the prick of tears in the corners of her eyes. It was too late to stop them so she let them flow into a sob. 

“You gotta breathe, Orchid. Are you listening to me? Breathe.”

She was glad that his voice was calm even if she could hear the wind whipping wherever he was. 

“You need to be somewhere as sterile as possible.” 

Amira was glad for the reprieve from the pain as the contraction subsided. She took a moment to even her breathing, in though her nose and out through her mouth. 

“I have a tarp and some shears. I need you here. I don’t know what to do!” 

“I’m almost there, love. I promise. Can you get the tarp under you? Are the blades sterile? What about your clothes? Keep your top on for warmth, bottoms off.” 

“You’re been reading the baby books again, huh?” she chuckled.

The moment of levity was very much needed and Amira was glad for the silver of his laughter coming through the speakerphone. 

“Dr. M’Baku at your service. I love you so much, Amira.”

“I love you, too. Sprout seems very excited to meet us.” 

“We’re going to be parents.” There was awe in voice as if the last eight and a half months were foreign to him. “I’ll be there soon.”

****

M’Baku brought a gust of cold wind into the greenhouse with him. The breeze against her skin felt like all she’d ever wanted in the moment. She was hot, sticky, and very exhausted. Amira wanted to smile at him, but instead gritted her teeth and tried to breathe through the next contraction. He moved to her swiftly, bending to kneel beside her. His eyes were wide as he drank in the sight of her. Amira knew she looked horrid, Her hair was looped in a messy bun, sweat dotted her brow, her shirt was bunched around her midsection, her legs splayed open on the bloody tarp. 

“You are so very beautiful.” That wonder in his voice again.

M’Baku gripped her hand and helped her bear down. She let loose a guttural scream that brought the door open again. A small cadre of guards crowded the frame. She caught M’Baku’s eye and shook her head. 

“Just us?” he inquired. “The doctor’s almost here.”

“Just us.”

He sent the group away with a raised hand while Amira continued her vise grip on the other. 

“I can feel the head. I don’t think we have time.” 

M’Baku shifted position until she could see only the top of his curls over the rise of her belly. 

“I see hair, Orchid! You’re almost there.”

Amira steeled herself and pushed. Screwing her eyes shut, she let herself completely unwind and filled the air with her pain. Amira felt like the world, bottled inside her, had burst and with a single breath she heard a tiny cry that instantly pulled at every fiber of her being. 

“Bak?”

He was silent, moving slightly below her waist. Amira heard the singular slice of the shears and then the shadow of the man she loved was moving to place a small bundle on her chest. She was in awe. A tiny, perfect version of her and M’Baku seemed to almost melt into her skin. Amira couldn’t take her eyes off of the child. She was the most beautiful thing Hanuman had ever created. Amira didn’t stir as M’Baku draped a blanket over the two of them nor did she break her gaze when the doctor made her presence known or when M’Baku curled his larger frame around hers. None of it mattered in the moment. 

“Welcome to the world, Siyanda,” Amira whispered to the small warrior against her chest. “Mommy and Daddy are so glad to meet you.”


	17. Interlude: Welcome Siyanda

“She’s beautiful.”

M’Baku gazed down at the tiny bundle in his arms, his daughter dwarfed in his massive hands. One long finger traced the slope of her nose, glanced across the puff of Siyanda’s cheeks, and glided over the shock of dark curls swirling about her head. He’d been like this on and off for hours, relinquishing his hold on the child only to allow Amira to feed her and then she was back in her father’s arms to be coddled and doted upon. The littlest heir to her father’s throne had graced him with wide eyes time and again, seemingly just as in love with him as he was with her.

“She smells like heaven,” he nearly giggled and inhaled the top of Siyanda’s head deeply. “Thank you so much, Orchid. She’s perfect.”

Amira had to agree. Their daughter was the most gorgeous thing she’d ever seen. She seemed to glow, her brown skin and dark curls just like her father’s own. Amira could see the pout of her daughter’s lips were her father’s as well, but those eyes and dimples came straight from her mother’s face. Swaddled in simple white cotton, Siyanda had spent her first hours on Earth bringing the most powerful man Amira had ever known to his knees. It hadn’t taken more than a simple cry of hunger to send M’Baku scrambling to do any and everything he needed to in order to correct the problem. Amira had been amused, but she removed the child as gently as she could from his grasp, adjusting the baby until she’d finally latched on and was sated.

Amira smiled. As much as he’d been enthralled by his daughter, he’d also been thanking her for bringing the baby into the world. Amira was tired, her eyes drifting closed here and there. Morning was starting to crest over Jabariland on their daughter’s first day in the world. M’Baku had scooped his soon to be wife into his arms back at the greenhouse and brought her to an awaiting caravan to be transported to the medical center and the world had spun off its axis for what had seemed like hours. The space around her had become a flurry of doctors, M’Baku’s worried and excited face, the laughter of Bolanle, and a cadre of guards now assigned to securing the newest princess of the Jabari. Amira’s parents were still in route so she was preparing for it all to begin again in a few hours.

“You don’t have to keep thanking me, ‘Baku. You helped make her as well.”

He broke his gaze from the child now sleeping contentedly and shifted closer to Amira on the bed. “That I did. But you nurtured her and brought her safely into the world. I don’t know how to repay you for that.”

Amira shrugged and snuggled into his warmth, her head finding its place on his shoulder. M’Baku dropped a kiss atop the messy bun at the crown of her head. She listened to him cooing to Siyanda and before she knew it, the world had faded into slumber.

When her eyes opened again, the sun was beginning to dip once more in the sky. Directly in her line of sight was M’Baku with the wide expanse of his back to her. Their daughter was curled quietly against his bare chest. He was speaking to her in dulcet tones. Amira could make out the whispers and it warmed every part of her being.

“Your mother is amazing, little one. Her heart is big as all the kingdom. And she loves me even though I’ve hurt her.”

The tiny noises of their daughter interrupted him. M’Baku waited for her to settle before continuing.

“I know. I know. I was a fool, but I’m trying to make it up to her. You know how worried I was when she told me about you?”

He bounced the bundle in his arms, the muscles of his back flexing as he did.

“I just wanted to make sure the two of you were safe. I left her alone and I’m so sorry. That will never happen again.”

M’Baku meandered from one bank of windows to another. “All of this is Jabariland, sweetheart. We are the strongest and fiercest in all of Wakanda. We love family and we take care of our own. That means you have me and your mother as well as every member of the tribe watching over you.”

Amira watched him press a fingertip against the glass. “And down there are our allies. It’s still a work in progress, but they mean well. Just know that you are all that matters and if that means we have to work together to keep Wakanda safe then so be it. I sacrifice my tradition for your future.”


End file.
